Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026.
World J Clin Pediatr. Dec 9, 2026; 15(4): 124311
Published online Dec 9, 2026. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.124311
Published online Dec 9, 2026. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.124311
Table 1 Prevalence of asthma, according to gender distribution, n (%)
| Asthma categories | Male (n = 510) | Female (n = 589) | Total (n = 1099) | Adjusted OR (95%CI) | P value1 |
| Current asthma | 76 (14.9) | 76 (12.9) | 152 (13.8) | 0.84 (0.60-1.19) | 0.3 |
| Current wheeze | 128 (25.1) | 127 (21.6) | 255 (23.2) | 0.82 (0.62-1.1) | 0.1 |
| Physician- diagnosed asthma | 108 (21.2) | 114 (19.4) | 222 (20.2) | 0.89 (0.66-1.20) | 0.4 |
| Severe asthma | 29 (5.7) | 22 (3.7) | 51 (4.6) | 0.64 (0.36-1.13) | 0.1 |
Table 2 Socio-demographic factors associated with current asthma, n (%)
| Variable | Category | Current asthma (n = 152) | Non asthmatics (n = 947) | Adjusted OR (95%CI) | P value1 |
| Sex | Male | 76 (50.0) | 434 (45.8) | ||
| Female | 76 (50.0) | 513 (54.2) | 0.8 (0.6-1.1) | 0.3 | |
| Family size | Only child | 16 (10.5) | 60 (6.3) | ||
| 2-3 children | 127 (83.6) | 785 (82.9) | 0.6 (0.3-1.0) | 0.08 | |
| 4 or more children | 9 (5.9) | 102 (10.8) | 0.3 (0.1-0.8) | 0.01 | |
| Birth order | Eldest | 86 (56.6) | 486 (51.3) | ||
| 2nd child | 55 (36.2) | 328 (34.6) | 0.9 (0.6-1.3) | 0.7 | |
| 3rd child | 8 (5.3) | 109 (11.5) | 0.4 (0.1-0.8) | 0.02 | |
| 4th child or more | 3 (2.0) | 24 (2.5) | 0.7 (0.2-2.4) | 0.6 | |
| Maternal employment | Employed | 25 (16.4) | 163 (17.2) | ||
| Unemployed | 127 (83.6) | 784 (82.8) | 1.0 (0.6-1.6) | 0.7 | |
| Father’s employment | Employed | 147 (97.4) | 910 (97.7) | ||
| Unemployed | 4 (2.6) | 21 (2.3) | 1.2 (0.4-3.5) | 0.7 | |
| No response | 1 | 16 |
Table 3 Symptoms associated with current asthma, n (%)
| Symptoms during the past 12 months | Prevalence among current asthmatics (n = 152) | Prevalence among non-asthmatics (n = 947) | Adjusted OR (95%CI) | P value1 |
| Dry cough at night | 89 (58.6) | 223 (23.5) | 4.74 (3.31-6.79) | < 0.001 |
| Wheezing (4 or more episodes) | 48 (31.6) | 24 (2.5) | 17.88 (10.45-30.57) | < 0.001 |
| Exercise-induced wheeze | 111 (73.0) | 245 (25.9) | 7.98 (5.41-11.78) | < 0.001 |
| Speech disturbance | 26 (17.1) | 14 (1.5) | 13.97 (7.09-27.53) | < 0.001 |
| Sleep disturbance (one or more nights per week) | 12 (7.9) | 4 (0.4) | 20.41 (6.46-64.46) | < 0.001 |
- Citation: Kumari MV, Amarasiri L, Rajindrajith S, Illangasinghe T, Devanarayana NM. Asthma burden and its impact on health-related quality of life among school adolescents in Anuradhapura district, Sri Lanka. World J Clin Pediatr 2026; 15(4): 124311
- URL: https://www.wjgnet.com/2219-2808/full/v15/i4/124311.htm
- DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.5409/wjcp.124311