Are Neighborhood-level Characteristics Associated with Indoor Allergens in the Household?

Overview

Journal J Asthma

Publisher Informa Healthcare

Specialties Allergy & Immunology
Pulmonary Medicine

Date 2010 Jan 27

PMID 20100024

Citations 21

Authors

Lindsay Rosenfeld

Rima Rudd

Ginger L Chew

Karen Emmons

Dolores Acevedo-Garcia

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Individual home characteristics have been associated with indoor allergen exposure; however, the influence of neighborhood-level characteristics has not been well studied. We defined neighborhoods as community districts determined by the New York City Department of City Planning.

Objective: We examined the relationship between neighborhood-level characteristics and the presence of dust mite (Der f 1), cat (Fel d 1), cockroach (Bla g 2), and mouse (MUP) allergens in the household.

Methods: Using data from the Puerto Rican Asthma Project, a birth cohort of Puerto Rican children at risk of allergic sensitization (n = 261), we examined associations between neighborhood characteristics (percent tree canopy, asthma hospitalizations per 1,000 children, roadway length within 100 meters of buildings, serious housing code violations per 1000 rental units, poverty rates, and felony crime rates), and the presence of indoor allergens. Allergen cutpoints were used for categorical analyses and defined as follows: dust mite: >0.25 microg/g; cat: >1 microg/g; cockroach: >1 U/g; mouse: >1.6 microg/g.

Results: Serious housing code violations were statistically significantly positively associated with dust mite, cat, and mouse allergens (continuous variables), adjusting for mother's income and education, and all neighborhood-level characteristics. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, medium levels of housing code violations were associated with higher dust mite and cat allergens (1.81, 95%CI: 1.08, 3.03 and 3.10, 95%CI: 1.22, 7.92, respectively). A high level of serious housing code violations was associated with higher mouse allergen (2.04, 95%CI: 1.15, 3.62). A medium level of housing code violations was associated with higher cockroach allergen (3.30, 95%CI: 1.11, 9.78).

Conclusions: Neighborhood-level characteristics, specifically housing code violations, appear to be related to indoor allergens, which may have implications for future research explorations and policy decisions.

Citing Articles

In-home environmental exposures predicted from geospatial characteristics of the built environment and electronic health records of children with asthma.

Bozigar M, Connolly C, Legler A, Adams W, Milando C, Reynolds D Ann Epidemiol. 2022; 73:38-47.

PMID: 35779709 PMC: 11767575. DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2022.06.034.

Material Hardship and Indoor Allergen Exposure among Low-Income, Urban, Minority Children with Persistent Asthma.

Jabre N, Keet C, McCormack M, PenG R, Balcer-Whaley S, Matsui E J Community Health. 2020; 45(5):1017-1026.

PMID: 32377967 PMC: 7809718. DOI: 10.1007/s10900-020-00822-y.

Associations among neighborhood greenspace, neighborhood violence, and children's asthma control in an urban city.

DePriest K, Butz A, Curriero F, Perrin N, Gross D Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2019; 123(6):608-610.

PMID: 31610235 PMC: 6915955. DOI: 10.1016/j.anai.2019.10.003.

Area Deprivation as a Risk Factor for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection in Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis.

Oates G, Harris W, Rowe S, Solomon G, Dey S, Zhu A Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2019; 38(11):e285-e289.

PMID: 31568067 PMC: 6802275. DOI: 10.1097/INF.0000000000002419.

Bedroom Allergen Exposure Beyond House Dust Mites.

Salo P, Cohn R, Zeldin D Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2018; 18(10):52.

PMID: 30128784 PMC: 6222253. DOI: 10.1007/s11882-018-0805-7.

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