Prevalence of atopic eczema in Barbadian schoolchildren: preliminary findings from the Barbados National Asthma and Allergy Study - abstract

ABSTRACT

In 1995 and 1996 the Barbados National Asthma and Allergy Study, a questionnaire survey of all schoolchildren 6 - 7 years and aged 13 - 14 year, was conducted. The aim of the survey was to describe the prevalence and severity of asthma, rhinitis and eczema in children living in Barbados, to make meaningful comparisions with other countries (e.g Jamaica) and to obtain baseline measures for asessment of future trends in the prevalence and severity of this disease. The questionnaire sought to discover the presence of an itchy rash, persisting for more than six months, and in the typical anatomical distribution of atopic eczema. In addition, doctor diagnosed eczema was sought. Three thousand, eight hundred and ninety-four (3894) questionnaires were returned in the 6 - 7 years old age group (97 percent) and 3552 in the 13 - 14 year- old age group (88 percent). The prevalence of atopic eczema in the 6 - 7 year-old age group was 10.6 percent and in the 13 - 14 year-old age group was 10.0 percent. Diagnosis by a doctor reduced the prevalence to 6.2 percent in the primary school group and 3.6 percent in the secondary school group. This study has demonstrated for the first time in a Caribbean country the prevalence of this common childhood complaint. (AU)