Socio-Economic Status and Academic Performance of Primary School-Aged Children with Asthma

Aims: This aim of this study was to determine the relationship between socio-economic class and academic performance of primary school children with asthma and to compare with those of children without.

Place and Duration of Study: Sample: Asthma clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Ituku/Ozalla, Enugu State and the schools attended by the children with and without asthma within Enugu metropolis.

Methodology: One hundred and twenty children with asthma (subjects) aged 5 – 11 years were consecutively recruited at the asthma clinic of UNTH Enugu and their age, sex and socio-economic class (SEC) - matched normal classmates were enrolled as controls. Their SEC was obtained using the tool described by Oyedeji while their academic performance was obtained using their scores over an academic session. Their Intelligence Quotient (IQ) was determined using the Draw-A-Person- Test. The relationship between SEC and academic performance of children with asthma was determined and was compared with that of the 120 controls.

Results: A significant association exists between academic performance and socio-economic class in both subjects (2 = 20.034, d.f = 6, p = .003) and control (2 = 18.926, d.f = 3, p < .001). Academic performance has a significant but weak correlation (Spearman’s) with socioeconomic class among the subjects (r = 0.194; p = .03) but not among controls (r = - 0.122; p = .19).

Conclusion: Socio-economic class is directly related to academic performance as higher socioeconomic classes are associated with high academic performance both in children with asthma and in those without.