Management, Medication Use and Economic Burden of Asthma among Hajj and Umrah Pilgrims
Abdul Haseeb
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Al-Abdia Campus, Taif Road, P.O.Box: 13574, Makkah, 21955, Saudi Arabia.
Arwa Saleh Alzahrani
Diaverum Dialysis Center, Saudi Arabia.
Nisrin Nasseraldeen Bifari
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Al-Abdia Campus, Taif Road, P.O.Box: 13574, Makkah, 21955, Saudi Arabia.
Samah Mohammed Bugis
Alryan Pharmacy, Saudi Arabia.
Shaza Eid O. Alharbi
Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital, Saudi Arabia.
Dina Jameel Ridnah
Al Fares Clinics Complex, Saudi Arabia.
Weam Waiel Kutob
Khutwat Tadawi Medical Center, Saudi Arabia.
Eman Abdullah Alzhrani
NMC Chronic Care Specialty Hospital, Saudi Arabia.
Ghadair Al-Nass
Mouwasat Hospital, Saudi Arabia.
Mohamed Fadaq
Ajyad Emergency Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Turki Mohammad Noor Al-Sulaimani
Ajyad Emergency Hospital, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Muhammad Shahid Iqbal
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Introduction: During Hajj and Umrah season, asthma-related acute admissions produce the enormous burden on healthcare facilities and causes delay in admissions for more severe cases, e.g. myocardial infarction, cardiac failure and severe trauma cases. Therefore, the snapshot of asthma-related admissions during the Hajj and Umrah season was determined by asthma-related admissions and medication use and economic burden during Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage season.
Methodology: All asthma-related admissions during the month of Ramadan (fasting month) and Hajj pilgrimage were assessed from patients’ data retrospectively. The convenience sampling strategy was used to retrieve study variables. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 22.0 was used to analyze the data.
Results: A total of 271 patients were selected as per inclusion criteria, the majority of them were males 153 (56.5%), while most of them were Saudi 70 (35.8%) and Egyptians 86 (31.7%). During hospitalization, the common treatment for acute exacerbations was inhaled corticosteroids 224 (86.3%), IV corticosteroids 129 (47.6%), Inhaled short-acting beta-agonists 244 (90%) and inhaled bronchodilators (ipratropium bromide) 237(87.5 5%).
Conclusion: This periodic mapping of asthma-related admissions and its management during these massive gathering events is indeed a significant effort to explore issues of acute asthma exacerbations management and to provide information to plan for future interventions and policies.
Keywords: Hajj, umrah, asthma, pilgrims, economic burden, Saudi Arabia