Evaluation of different modalities for management of pediatric asthma in Zagazig District

Background: Large percent of physicians included in our study have no knowledge about bronchial asthma guidelines, only 3.2 % have knowledge about Egyptian guideline for asthma management. The concept of use of reliever medication for acute asthma attack and controller medication for long term management of asthma is not clear for most physicians included in the study. Large percent of physicians reserve inhaled therapy for the severe cases of asthma which is incorrect. Theophylline is used by large percent, in spite the fact that few studies in children 5 years and younger suggest little clinical benefit.Objectives: The aim of this work is to evaluate different modalities for management of pediatric asthma in Zagazig district through assessment of physician awareness about managing guidelines for pediatric asthma andt o what extent the asthmatic children in Zagazig district are managed according to these guidelines.Subject and methods: Our study was descriptive study with the cross-sectional design (examination of a cross-section of particular population at one point in time which provides a base-line data for further studies). Multistage sampling technique will be employed to get a sample of health-care units managing pediatric asthma. Written questionnaire will be distributed to the physicians in these health-care units to get feedback about the way they manage asthmatic children during their daily practice. Medications used by physicians will be revised to check their agreement with the standard guidelines.Results: The mean age of our sharing physicians was 36.5 year ranging from 25 to 56 year. Fifty six percentage of them were males, 44% were females. Mean year of experience was 11.97 year ranging from 2 to 30 year of experience. Doctors shared in our questionnaire were 100 (30 of them are working in the university hospitals, the other 70 are working in the MOH).Conclusion: Every effort should be done to raise the awareness of physicians about asthma guidelines, through workshops, seminars and teaching curriculum. Egypt guidelines for asthma management should be updated and distributed on large scale, for all health care units managing pediatric asthma. In relation to patient management, we notice that nearly 50% of asthmatic children are misdiagnosed and mismanaged.