Asthma in African children and adolescents: Burden, barriers, and management strategies

Background Asthma is the leading chronic disease in African children and adolescents, yet remains underdiagnosed and poorly managed. Asthma in Africa has been associated with higher mortality rates compared with high-income countries. Barriers to asthma control in African children and adolescents are lack of accurate diagnosis, limited access to inhaled therapy, lack of knowledge about asthma, and poor air quality. Objectives To review the asthma burden, risk factors, barriers to care and management strategies in an African setting. Methods A narrative review of peer-reviewed literature from 1990 to 2024 was conducted using PubMed, global asthma guidelines, Global Initiative for Asthma, Scopus, Google Scholar and African Journals Online. Results The prevalence of asthma is rising, with urban-rural disparities and multifactorial risk profiles. Barriers to control include poor access to diagnostics, underutilisation of inhaled corticosteroids, and limited education. Conclusion A multisectoral approach is needed to improve asthma care, including adaptation, education, and access to essential medicines. Study synopsis What the study adds. This study highlights the burden of disease secondary to asthma. It reports on prevalence, risk factors, and barriers in management. Implications of the findings. The findings raise awareness of all the gaps identified, which in turn will activate actions and strategies to reduce the burden and update guidelines.