SCORE Goes Public - Observing Risk Factors in Children’s Asthma (SGP-ORCA)

The SGP-ORCA (SCORE Goes Public - Observing Risk Factors in Children’s Asthma) project, initiated by SCORE CIMSA-BEM KM FK Unand, aims to identify the risk factors associated with childhood asthma. This project integrates SGP level 1 research training with a level 4 research implementation, allowing SCORE members to apply their newly acquired knowledge in a real-world setting. By collaborating with external partners, the project seeks to produce research outputs that can be used to educate the public and provide data for future studies, ultimately benefiting both the CIMSA community and the general population.

Definition and Impact of Asthma

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by inflammation of the airways, leading to symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. This inflammation causes the airways to become hyperreactive, leading to airflow obstruction and chronic respiratory symptoms.

Prevalence of Asthma in Indonesia and West Sumatra

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), asthma is a significant global health problem, affecting approximately 300 million people worldwide. This number is projected to increase to 400 million by 2025. In Indonesia, asthma is among the top ten causes of morbidity and mortality. The Indonesian Ministry of Health reports that 10% of the country's population suffers from asthma. Data from the Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) indicates that West Sumatra has a high prevalence of asthma at 3.6%. Furthermore, the incidence rate among children aged 1-14 years is even higher in Pauh Health Center, reaching 6%.

Asthma Cases in Padang City

Annual reports from the Padang City Health Department from 2009 to 2011 reveal an increasing trend in asthma cases, from 13.3% to 15.4%. Among the 20 health centers in Padang, Pauh Health Center recorded the highest number of asthma visits in 2011, with a rate of 30.7%. Data from Pauh Health Center also shows that children aged 1-14 years had the highest prevalence of asthma in January-December 2011, at 6.0%. However, there is currently no updated prevalence data for childhood asthma in Padang.

SGP-ORCA Research Implementation

In this study, SCORE CIMSA-BEM KM FK Unand conducted research on first and second-grade students at SDN 02 Cupak Tangah, whose ages align with the validated International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire.

• Pre-Activity (September 8, 2024): SCORE members received training on childhood asthma and SPSS software usage.
• Main Activity (September 27, 2024): Distribution of validated ISAAC questionnaires to parents of the students to assess potential asthma risk factors. Additionally, members conducted an interactive roleplay session to educate children about asthma and its causes.
• Post-Activity (October 12, 2024): Data analysis using SPSS to interpret research findings.

Research Findings and Conclusion

The results indicated no significant association between the identified risk factors and childhood asthma cases in SDN 02 Cupak Tangah. However, this finding could be attributed to the small sample size, with only two non-acute asthma cases out of 35 respondents. Therefore, further research with a larger sample size is needed to confirm these results and to explore the prevalence of childhood asthma in the Puskesmas Pauh area.