Abstract
Background: Asthma is a widespread medical problem among the pediatric age group in Saudi Arabia. This study describes asthma risk factors relevant to the Saudi population. The main objective of this study is to determine the risk factors for developing asthma among Saudi children. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Saudi Arabia from June 2020 to October 2021, involving families with children from one to 15 years of age using an online survey. The questionnaire assessed the sociodemographic data of the families and the major asthma risk factors. Then, the data were analyzed using IBM SPSS. Results: A total of 996 family participated in the study, 766 families had asthmatic children 62.7% of them were males, with a mean age of 10.6 +/- 4.9 years old. From the asthmatic group 21.4% had rural residences compared to 7.4% from the healthy group (P=0.001). Asthma was more prevalent in those with low income, having parents without university-education, having a family history of allergy or allergic rhinitis, and having a smoker in their families (P=0.001). In the asthmatic group, a gas oven was used more than in the comparison group, house floors were covered in 29.8% compared to the other group and Insecticides were more commonly used in the asthmatic group (P=0.039). Conclusion: Family history of asthma, allergies, and allergic rhinitis were the most significant familial risk factors. Presence of a family smoker, using a gas oven, house floor coverings and the frequent use of incense were more associated with asthma.