Childhood Asthma Prevalence, Severity, and Parental Management Practices in Lagos State, South West Nigeria: A Population-Based Survey

Childhood asthma is an increasingly prevalent chronic respiratory condition in Nigerian urban centres, driven by environmental pollution, indoor allergen exposure, and genetic susceptibility. However, population-based data on asthma burden in South West Nigeria remain limited. This cross-sectional analytical study estimates the prevalence, severity distribution, and parental management practices of childhood asthma in Lagos State using a multi-cluster random sampling approach. A total of 1,850 children aged 6 to 14 years from 20 urban and peri-urban clusters across Lagos Island, Surulere, and Alimosho local government areas were screened using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire administered to parents. Clinical assessment was performed on questionnaire-positive children to confirm diagnosis and classify severity. Current asthma prevalence was 10.2%, with intermittent severity predominating (58.4%) and severe persistent asthma recorded in 8.9% of confirmed cases. Proximity to traffic corridors, household use of biomass fuel, and presence of pets were significantly associated with asthma prevalence. Only 34.6% of children with confirmed asthma were on any controller medication. Parental misconceptions about asthma, including beliefs that it is contagious or spiritually caused, were documented in 41.3% of caregiver interviews. The study calls for community-based asthma awareness campaigns, affordable inhaled corticosteroid access, and training of primary care providers in asthma management. Keywords: childhood asthma, prevalence, ISAAC, Lagos State, South West Nigeria.