Global Asthma Network Phase I Surveillance: Geographical Coverage and Response Rates.
Ellwood, Philippa;
Ellwood, Eamon;
Rutter, Charlotte;
Perez-Fernandez, Virginia;
Morales, Eva;
García-Marcos, Luis;
Pearce, Neil;
Asher, M Innes;
Strachan, David;
On Behalf Of The Gan Phase I Study Group;
(2020)
Global Asthma Network Phase I Surveillance: Geographical Coverage and Response Rates.
Journal of clinical medicine, 9 (11).
p. 3688.
ISSN 2077-0383
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9113688
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Background-The Global Asthma Network (GAN) Phase I is surveying school pupils in high-income and low- or middle-income countries using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) methodology. Methods-Cross-sectional surveys of participants in two age groups in randomly selected schools within each centre (2015-2020). The compulsory age group is 13-14 years (adolescents), optionally including parents or guardians. Six to seven years (children) and their parents are also optional. Adolescents completed questionnaires at school, and took home adult questionnaires for parent/guardian completion. Children took home questionnaires for parent/guardian completion about the child and also adult questionnaires. Questions related to symptoms and risk factors for asthma and allergy, asthma management, school/work absence and hospitalisation. Results-53 centres in 20 countries completed quality checks by 31 May 2020. These included 21 centres that previously participated in ISAAC. There were 132,748 adolescents (average response rate 88.8%), 91,802 children (average response rate 79.1%), and 177,622 adults, with >97% answering risk factor questions and >98% answering questions on asthma management, school/work absence and hospitalisation. Conclusion-The high response rates achieved in ISAAC have generally been maintained in GAN. GAN Phase I surveys, partially overlapping with ISAAC centres, will allow within-centre analyses of time-trends in prevalence.