Unravelling Myths and Knowledge of Paediatric Asthma Among the General Population in an Urban City in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Introduction: Paediatric asthma, a prevalent chronic disease among children in Malaysia, can have its morbidity reduced through effective education. This study aims to assess the knowledge and perceptions of childhood asthma in the Malaysian general population. Materials and methods: A prospective study was conducted among visitors attending paediatric wards and clinics at the Institute of Paediatric Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Participants, who gave their consent, completed validated questionnaires in written form that evaluated their knowledge of asthma symptoms, triggering factors, medication, prevention, and myth perception. A higher score indicated a deeper understanding of asthma. Results: The study included 200 participants, predominantly female (88%), with a median age of 35.5 years. Among them, 12% were asthmatics, and 36% had a family member with asthma. The primary source of asthma information was electronic media (82%). The average score for knowledge of asthma symptoms, triggering factors, medication prevention and myth was 62.13% (SD 17.6). 62.88% (SD 16.3), 56.7% (SD 16.5), 82% (SD 15.1) and 57.8% (SD 15.4) respectively. Asthma myth perception and source of asthma information from family members were strongly related (p-value of 0.042). Conclusion: The general population exhibits an average understanding of asthma, comparable to findings from previous studies in other countries. This highlights the need for targeted educational interventions to dispel myths and enhance asthma knowledge.