BACKGROUND: Cough is the commonest symptom for which
patients seek medical attention and may be a warning sign of
an impending disease.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of cough among
adults in an urban community in Nigeria.
METHODS: We conducted a cross sectional study among
subjects aged >18 years from May 2009 to October 2009 in
Ilorin, Nigeria. A semi- structured questionnaire was used to
collect the data. The American College of Chest Physicians
(ACCP) and the EuropeanRespiratory Society (ERS) cough
guidelines were used to define acute, sub acute and chronic
cough.
RESULTS: A total of 472 subjects participated in this study,
238(50.4%) were men and 234(49.6%) were women. Ninetyseven
(20.6%) had cough in the preceeding 12 months. Thirtyone
(6.6%) had cough at the time of interview, of which
17(3.6%) were productive. The prevalence of acute cough was
3.8%, sub acute 1.7% and chronic cough was 1.1%. All types
of cough were common in those aged <45 years, unskilled
workers, low educational attainment, while chronic cough was
common in the women. The risk of coughing increased with
tobacco smoking and the number of sticks smoked per day.
Majority of subjects with acute cough [16(88.9%)], sub acute
cough [8(100%)] and chronic cough [3(60 %)], were yet to
consult a doctor.
CONCLUSION: Our study revealed a low prevalence of cough
among adults in this urban community in Nigeria. It is
imperative to enlighten the community on the importance of
seeking early treatment for cough, which may be a warning
sign of life threatening lung disease.