Distribution and etiology of chronic respiratory diseases in primary healthcare departments in Cape Verde.

Background And Objective: Data on chronic respiratory diseases (CRD) are scarce or unavailable in most African countries. We aimed to determine the prevalence of CRD and associated risk factors in Cape Verde, at the primary healthcare level.

Methods: In the frame of the Global Alliance Against Chronic Respiratory Diseases, a cross-sectional study was carried out in October 2006 in 3256 outpatients (2142 women) (median age of 30 years) seeking care at primary healthcare departments, through a standardized interview questionnaire during two weeks.

Results: The prevalence of emphysema, tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis, rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma were 0.7%, 2%, 4.5%, 12.3% and 6.2%, respectively. Current smoking was associated with emphysema (OR: 3.36; 95% CI: 0.97-11.40) and tuberculosis (OR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.07-4.30), ever exposed to a dusty workplace with chronic bronchitis (OR: 2.20; CI 95%: 1.50-3.21) and rhinoconjunctivitis (OR: 1.56; CI 95%: 1.23-1.98) and cooking or heating using an open fire with asthma (OR: 1.59; CI 95%: 1.16-2.19). The estimates of attributable risks percent indicated that, in the sample, a noticeable part of CRD could be attributed to active smoking, exposure to dust and biomass. Results varied according to gender, particularly regarding current smoking which was more important for men.

Conclusions: Tobacco smoking, exposure to dust at work and using an open fire were important risk factors for CRD. Our results suggest that if actions were taken in order to reduce the aforementioned exposures, an important CRD decrease could be achieved.