A study of the Spanish population shows that nearly 795,000 children have allergies and 397,000 have asthma

These are the conclusions of a new study published by Archivos de Bronconeumología, the journal of the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR), which also shows the significant impact of the two diseases on the quality of life and mental health of the paediatric population, as well as on the use of healthcare resources.  

The study was led by Luis González de Paz, a health and research technician of the Eixample Primary Care Consortium (CAPSBE) and a researcher in the IDIBAPS Primary healthcare transversal research group, Laura Valdesoiro, a paediatrician at the Parc Taulí University Hospital and a researcher at the Parc Taulí Research and Innovation Institute, Antoni Sisó-Almirall, the director of Research at CAPSBE, head of the IDIBAPS Primary healthcare transversal research group and president of the Catalan Society of Family and Community Medicine (CAMFiC) and Joan Bartra, the head of the Allergology Service at Hospital Clínic Barcelona, a researcher in the Clinical and experimental respiratory immunoallergy (IRCE) group and the president of the Catalan Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Experts from the UPF School of Management also participated in the study. 

 

Data from more than 6,000 boys and girls 

“Generally, studies on the prevalence of asthma and allergies do not include the paediatric population”, explains González de Paz. “In this case, we not only wanted to determine the prevalence of these diseases in boys and girls, but also to see the effect they have on their daily life and mental health, as well as their impact on the use of healthcare resources”. 

The study was based on the National Health Survey carried out by the Ministry of Health through the National Institute of Statistics. Data were obtained from 6,297 children under the age of 14, considered a representative sample of the Spanish paediatric population.  

Impact on children’s quality of life and mental health 

The study shows that the two diseases significantly affect children’s day-to-day life and therefore shape their quality of life and mental health.  

“According to the data taken from the survey, 75% of cases of children who report having a poor quality of life can be attributed to asthma and around 70% to allergies”, Valdesoiro says. As such, “allergies and asthma may be behind half the cases of boys and girls who have to limit daily activities, such as playing sports or going to friends’ birthday parties”. 

Therefore, approximately 50% of the child population that spent one day in bed due to health problems in the two weeks prior to the survey was probably suffering from these two pathologies. 

Impact on the healthcare system 

The study also highlights the impact of childhood asthma and allergies on the use of healthcare resources, either with visits to the primary care centre or specialists or with hospital admissions. 

“More than 30% of all paediatric visits to specialist physicians can be attributed to problems arising from asthma or allergies, as well as 62% of hospital admissions for asthma or more than 22% of visits to the emergency room for both diseases”, Bartra says. 

According to the authors, the study provides a new perspective on the suffering of children with allergies and asthma and the effects they have on their social development. “The complexity of these diseases and the consequences they have for children shows that an integrated healthcare approach is needed, with a continuity of care between education and the healthcare system”, Sisó-Almirall concludes.  

Cases of allergy and asthma by autonomous communities

Reference article 

Luis González-de Paz, Laura Valdesoiro-Navarrete, Josep Roma, Esther Blat-Guimerà, Jaume Benavent-Areu, Joan Bartra, Antoni Sisó-Almirall. Prevalence and Impact of Asthma and Allergy on Daily Life, Health Outcomes and Use of Healthcare Services in Children: A Population-Based Study. Archivos de Bronconeumología https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arbres.2023.05.005