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To investigate the factors associated with asthma in school children, a case-control study of 203 asthmatic and 203 non-asthmatic children (103 males and 100 females in each group) aged 6 to 18 years, was organized during the period September 1992 to May 1993 in Al Ain city, United Arab Emirates. Cases comprised known asthmatic children who were regularly receiving medication for asthma and were confirmed as asthmatics by a physician. Cases and controls were matched by age and sex. A questionnaire was used to obtain information about respiratory illnesses (pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, sinusitis and croup); atopy (allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis) and familial allergic diseases (parental asthma and atopy). Information about socioeconomic status and limitations to children as a result of asthma were also obtained. Logistic regression analysis showed that bronchitis, atopy (allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis), croup, parental asthma and parental atopic dermatitis were significant risk factors for childhood asthma after adjusting for other confounding covariates. The model also showed that parental asthma (p < 0.0001) is much more influential than parental atopic dermatitis (p = 0.01) as a risk factor for asthma. Although pneumonia and sinusitis were significant risk factors when analyzed univariately, they were not significant after adjusting for other covariates. Bronchiolitis, smoking and socioeconomic status were beyond the reach of statistical significance as risk factors to asthma in our sample.

The aim of this study was to establish the carrier rate of group A beta haemolytic streptococci in school children in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. One thousand and two randomly selected school children aged 5-7 years had their throats swabbed twice for both culture and direct antigen detection of group A streptococci. One hundred and fourteen children (11.3%) had both a positive antigen and culture test, while 216 (21.6%) had antigen-positive tests only and 16 (1.5%) had a positive culture only. Thus, the combination of culture and antigen detection revealed a carrier rate of 35.4% in the children examined. We conclude that in an affluent but isolated desert area on the Tropic of Cancer, group A streptococcal carriage rate is high. Antigen detection is superior to culture techniques in asymptomatic carrier studies.

Rotavirus was detected in all age groups with a predominance in 7-12 month age groups, and a higher incidence in non-nationals. There was a marked increase in the number of positive cases during the months when the relative humidity was low (25-45%) and there was no rainfall. These findings are discussed in relation to the epidemiology and prophylaxis of rotavirus infections.

The importance of psychosocial factors in psychological adjustment and coping in children with cancer and their families is well recognized. In this study, parental attitudes, children's self-perceptions, and families' coping were studied in 38 children with leukemia, 30 children with juvenile diabetes, and 30 control subjects. Children with cancer scored themselves more negatively than their parents on all the subscales except scholastic competence, while children with diabetes scored negatively in the area of athletic competence. With regard to family coping, parental hope as well as social and family communication were the most important factors that contributed to better coping in children with leukemia, while parental education and health awareness were integral to better coping in children with diabetes. Awareness of family coping and understanding the domains of self-competence and self-worth, which are vulnerable in children with cancer, can help healthcare providers to target these issues and to offer appropriate psychosocial intervention.

A cross-sectional survey of tuberculin skin reactivity was conducted in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) between January and June 1994, to find out the prevalence rate of tuberculosis infection. A pre-designed questionnaire was used to collect details of BCG scar, age, sex, residence area, nationality, education, type of house, number of rooms, family size and household contact history of tuberculosis. A total of 785 students were screened, of whom 547 gave a history of BCG vaccination in the past and 238 were BCG-negative. Among BCG-negative children aged 5-11 years and 12-15 years, only 6.5% and 9.3%, respectively, had a positive Mantoux reaction--a rate lower than most Third World countries, but higher than developed countries where under 2% of children are tuberculin reactors. A general linear model with positive Mantoux reaction as the dependent variable was fitted to the data to examine the joint effect of age, sex, residential area, number of rooms at home, family size and BCG vaccine history. The Mantoux reaction was entered as positive and a number of statistically significant associations were found between positive Mantoux test > 10 mm and: age (P = 0.0018); sex (P = 0.0281); residential area (P < 0.0001); number of rooms (P = 0.0017); and BCG vaccine history (P < 0.0001). However, family size did not have any statistical effect on tuberculin testing (Mantoux test > 10 mm). The prevalence (8%) in the 5-14 years age group puts U.A.E. between low (2%) and middle (14%) prevalence countries, according to the classification of the International Union Against Tuberculosis. This calls for continuation of free treatment of active cases and increased efforts towards screening of contacts.

Using the experience derived from a screening programme of all school-going children in the Al Ain District, United Arab Emirates, this article reports on a cost-effective model that can be used in other developing countries. The need for training child health and school professionals in identifying mental and developmental disorders is discussed.