Annals of Thoracic Medicine (Jan 2006)

Asthma care: Structural foundations at primary health care at Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia

  • AL-Haddad Nasser,
  • Nour Ahmad,
  • Koshak Emad

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 1, no. 1
pp. 8 – 11

Abstract

Read online

BACKGROUND: Proper structural foundations for asthma care at primary health care centers [PHCCs], are of essential importance, regarding its management. OBJECTIVE: To assess the adherence of PHCCs to the recommended structural foundation for asthma care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 35 PHCCs were selected in a cluster random fashion. A questionnaire for structural standards was designed, based on the Saudi national protocol for the management of asthma (SNPMA). A physician and a nurse, each from PHCC, were trained for data collection. Structural facilities deficiency was arbitrarily classified into: least deficient (>75%), moderate to severe deficient (25-75%) and most deficient (< 25%). RESULTS: The total population registered, was 131190 [urban: 85701 (65.4%), rural: 45489 (34.6%)]. Total registered asthmatics was 4093 [urban: 2585 (63.1%), rural: 1508 (36.9%)]. The asthma prevalence rate did not differ significantly between urban (3%) and rural (3.3%) areas . Structural facilities distribution for asthma care, did not significantly vary among urban and rural PHCCs and none of them fulfilled 100% of the desired standards. The least deficient, were the availability of asthma register and salbutamol, in its various forms. The moderately to severely deficient were the SNPMA, peak flow meter (PFM), nebulizer system, Theophylline and systemic corticosteroid. However, they were most deficient in trained doctors and nurses, record charts for Peak flow meter, spacer, educational material and inhalers of corticosteroid or cromoglycate. CONCLUSION: Proper structural foundations for asthma care at PHCCs, at AL-Qassim region, were below the desired national standards. They were most deficient in trained doctors and nurses, record charts for PFM, spacers, educational material and anti-inflammatory inhalers. Future health directorate strategies have to provide such beneficial interventions for proper asthma care.

Keywords