Socioeconomic Risk Factors for Asthma in Chilean Young Adults

Overview

Journal Am J Public Health

Specialty Public Health

Date 2005 Jun 30

PMID 15985644

Citations 15

Authors

Camila Corvalan

Hugo Amigo

Patricia Bustos

Roberto J Rona

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: We studied the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and asthma symptoms, severity of asthma, atopy, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) to methacholine.

Methods: We studied 1232 men and women born between 1974 and 1978 in a semirural area of Chile. We assessed asthma symptoms with a standardized questionnaire, atopy with a skin-prick test to 8 allergens, and BHR to methacholine with the tidal breathing method. SES was derived from several indicators: education, occupation, completion of a welfare form, belongings, housing, number of siblings, and overcrowding.

Results: Those with fewer belongings had more asthma symptoms. Those who had higher education and those who owned cars had fewer asthma symptoms and BHR. Overcrowding was negatively related to atopy, atopy with asthma symptoms, and BHR. Higher education and noncompletion of a welfare form were risk factors for atopy.

Conclusion: The strength and direction of the association between asthma and SES depended on what definition of asthma was analyzed. Asthma symptoms were more common among poor people. There was some support for the hygiene hypothesis, as overcrowding was associated with less wheezing with atopy, less atopy, and less BHR.

Citing Articles

Characterization of the upper respiratory tract microbiota in Chilean asthmatic children reveals compositional, functional, and structural differences.

Ramos-Tapia I, Reynaldos-Grandon K, Perez-Losada M, Castro-Nallar E Front Allergy. 2023; 4:1223306.

PMID: 37577334 PMC: 10419220. DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2023.1223306.

Ideal cardiovascular health in urban Jamaica: prevalence estimates and relationship to community property value, household assets and educational attainment: a cross-sectional study.

McKenzie J, Younger N, Tulloch-Reid M, Govia I, Bennett N, McFarlane S BMJ Open. 2020; 10(12):e040664.

PMID: 33323436 PMC: 7745314. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040664.

ASSESSMENT OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND CONTROL OF ASTHMA IN ADULTS.

Azeez I, Ladipo M, Ige O Ann Ib Postgrad Med. 2017; 14(2):85-91.

PMID: 28337093 PMC: 5354626.

Ventilatory function in young adults and dietary antioxidant intake.

Garcia-Larsen V, Amigo H, Bustos P, Bakolis I, Rona R Nutrients. 2015; 7(4):2879-96.

PMID: 25884660 PMC: 4425179. DOI: 10.3390/nu7042879.

Ventilatory function and cardiovascular disease risk factors: a cross-sectional study in young adults.

Garcia-Larsen V, Bustos P, Amigo H, Potts J, Rona R BMC Pulm Med. 2014; 14:206.

PMID: 25524286 PMC: 4320557. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2466-14-206.

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