Prevalence and Risk Factors of Asthma in First Nations Children Living on Reserves in Canada

Overview

Journal Can J Public Health

Publisher Springer Nature

Specialty Public Health

Date 2016 Mar 18

PMID 26986908

Citations 2

Authors

Ambikaipakan Senthilselvan

Selvanayagam John Niruban

Malcolm King

Carina Majaesic

Paul Veugelers

Lory Laing

Brian H Rowe

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: To explore the prevalence and determine the risk factors of asthma in First Nations children aged 0 to 11 years living on reserves in Canada.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we considered the data collected as part of the First Nations Regional Health Survey involving 6,657 children living in 238 First Nations communities in the 10 Canadian provinces, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon.

Results: The overall prevalence of asthma that has lasted or is expected to last at least six months (ever-asthma) among children living on reserves was 14.6%: a prevalence of 12.9% among 0 to 4 year olds and 15.6% among 5 to 11 year olds. The prevalence of ever-asthma was greater among boys (16.1%) than girls (13.2%). Children from homes with two or more children aged less than 11 years and those who were engaged in daily physical activities were less likely to have a report of ever-asthma. Children from high-income families and smoke-free homes were more likely to have a report of ever-asthma. The association between allergy and ever-asthma was stronger in children with low birth weight. The association between chronic ear infections and ever-asthma was stronger in girls than boys.

Conclusions: The overall prevalence of ever-asthma and factors associated with ever-asthma in First Nations children living on reserves were similar to those reported for off-reserve Aboriginal children and non-Aboriginal Canadian children.

Citing Articles

A Systematic Review of Child Health and Developmental Outcomes Associated with Low Birthweight and/or Small for Gestational Age in Indigenous Children from Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Batchelor M, Brown S, Glover K, Gartland D Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021; 18(23).

PMID: 34886396 PMC: 8657270. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182312669.

Domestic Risk Factors for Atopic and non-Atopic Asthma in First Nations Children Living in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Rennie D, Karunanayake C, Lawson J, Kirychuk S, McMullin K, Abonyi S Children (Basel). 2020; 7(5).

PMID: 32349273 PMC: 7278566. DOI: 10.3390/children7050038.

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