A PILOT STUDY TO ASSESS THE ASTHMATIC PATIENTS IN THE CAPITAL STATE OF UTTARAKHAND

Abstract

Asthma is one of the most common chronic respiratory diseases in our country. The main objective of the study was to collect data about the profile of the asthmatic patients in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The study was conducted through a structured questionnaire targeted on the asthmatic patients during the month of Jan 2009 to June 2009. The demographic characteristics of 336 patients with asthma gives the detail profile of asthmatic patient’s distribution of Dehardun as classified on the basis of age and sex. It was evident from the study that male populations (75.6%) are more prone to asthma as compared to the females (24.4%). Another striking feature that emerged from this survey was the maximum prevalence of asthma in the age group of 20-29 years followed by infants belonging to the age group of < 10 years among both male and female populations. The high incidence of asthma in the age group of 20-29 years may probably be due to the allergy arising out of sudden exposure to dust and pollen which the children face while playing and going to the school and colleges. Pharmacists should educate the asthmatics how to use inhalers considering growing menace of asthma in the state. Safer drugs should be produced in the form of aerosol so that easy administration by the asthmatic patients and physicians of the state is possible for curing asthma. The health centers should be more equipped with the medicines to cure asthma in the state like Uttarakhand.