Summary

Asthma is a major cause of chronic morbidity and mortality throughout the world and there is substantial evidence that the prevalence has increased considerably over the past 20 years, especially in children. Based on the Indonesia Basic Health Research in 2013, the national prevalence of asthma in Indonesia reached 4.5%, which means that of the 220 million population of Indonesia there are 9 million people who suffer from asthma. Although asthma can occur at any age, the incidence of asthma is common in children and young adults. Children who suffer from asthma are often not able to attend class if they are suffering from an asthma attack, which can lead to a decrease in overall school attendance influencing the decline in academic achievement and decreasing the child's social interaction with the environment.

Similar to children, young adults with asthma can suffer the loss of working hours due to the disease, which decreases income. The prevalence of asthma is still rising in developing countries, including Indonesia. The prevalence of asthma in children in Indonesia varies from 2.1% to 32.2% depending on the location. Survey results in some cities in Indonesia (Jakarta, Medan, Palembang, Bandung and Semarang) revealed that the prevalence of asthma among elementary school children (6-12 years old) was 3.7 to 6.4 % and junior high school (13-14 years old) was 8.6 to 13.1%. This indicates that there is a need for an asthma intervention in children, thus highlighting the importance of good asthma management in children. However, diagnosis and management of asthma still needs to be improved both at the hospital and primary health care (Puskesmas) level.