Prevalence and Risk Factors of Asthma, Rhinitis, and Eczema and Their Multimorbidity among Young Adults in Kuwait: A Cross-Sectional Study
Table 2
Prevalence of symptoms of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema in total study sample, stratified by sex.
Total
Males
Females
value
% (/total)
95% CI
% (/total)
% (/total)
Asthma symptoms
Wheezing ever
22.5 (248/1101)
20.1–25.1
29.0 (74/255)
20.6 (174/846)
0.005
Wheezing in the last 12 months
14.6 (161/1101)
12.6–16.9
19.2 (49/255)
13.2 (112/846)
0.018
Exercise-induced wheezing in the last 12 months
17.7 (198/1117)
15.5–20.1
24.5 (62/253)
15.7 (136/864)
0.001
Ever doctor-diagnosed asthma
19.1 (216/1134)
16.8–21.5
26.1 (67/257)
17.0 (149/877)
0.001
Rhinitis symptoms
Ever sneezing/runny/blocked nose (when there is no cold/flu)
43.1 (478/1110)
40.1–46.0
40.9 (104/254)
43.7 (374/856)
0.438
Sneezing/runny/blocked nose (when there is no cold/flu) in the last 12 months
37.7 (415/1102)
34.8–40.6
32.9 (83/252)
39.1 (332/850)
0.078
Itchy eyes associated with nasal problems in the last 12 months
21.2 (231/1089)
18.8–23.8
19.8 (49/248)
21.6 (182/841)
0.524
Ever doctor-diagnosed rhinitis
30.5 (345/1132)
27.8–33.3
27.3 (71/260)
31.4 (274/872)
0.206
Eczema symptoms
Itchy rash in the last 12 months
22.7 (251/1107)
20.2–25.3
17.2 (44/256)
24.3 (207/851)
0.002
Ever itchy rash coming/going for at least 6 months
17.7 (199/1123)
15.5–20.1
13.1 (34/260)
19.1 (165/863)
0.025
Itchy rash affecting flexural areas
12.6 (140/1111)
10.7–14.7
9.3 (24/258)
13.6 (116/853)
0.068
Ever doctor-diagnosed eczema
20.2 (230/1138)
17.9–22.7
10.8 (28/259)
23.0 (202/879)
<0.001
Study-defined current
Asthma
11.9 (135/1135)
10.1–13.9
15.2 (39/257)
10.9 (96/878)
0.065
Rhinitis
20.4 (232/1138)
18.1–22.9
18.0 (47/261)
21.1 (185/877)
0.277
Eczema
9.2 (105/1143)
7.6–11.0
5.8 (15/261)
10.2 (90/882)
0.029
CI: confidence interval. values comparing male and female participants. “Methods” for detailed information on the criteria used to define current asthma, rhinitis, and eczema.
