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Asthma, Environmental Risk Factors, and Hypertension Among Arab Americans in Metro Detroit

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Abstract

Asthma and obesity-related health problems disproportionately impact low-income ethnic minority communities residing in urban areas. Environmental risk factors, particularly those related to housing and indoor air, may impact the development or exacerbation of asthma. There is increasing evidence to suggest a link between obesity-related health problems and asthma. Previous studies have also reported that immigrant status may influence myriad risk factors and health outcomes among immigrant populations. The Arab American Environmental Health Project (AAEHP) was the first study to explore environmental health problems among Arab Americans. This paper examined whether hypertensive status modified the relationship between environmental risk factors and asthma among Arab Americans in metro Detroit. An environmental risk index (ERI) was used to quantify household environmental risk factors associated with asthma. Physician diagnosed hypertension was self-reported, and asthma status was determined using responses to a validated symptoms checklist and self-reported diagnosis by a physician. Hypertension significantly modified the relationship between ERI and asthma in this study population. The positive association between household environmental risk factors and asthma was stronger among participants diagnosed with hypertension. Effect modification of the relationship between environmental risk factors and asthma could have serious implications among high-risk communities. However, further research is needed to elucidate the relationships between hypertension, environmental risk factors, and asthma.

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Acknowledgements

The Arab American Environmental Health Project (AAEHP) was conducted in collaboration between the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) and the University of Michigan School of Public Health through a grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). This endeavor would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of the Community Environmental Health Advocates who conducted the household surveys. The authors would also like to thank Lucas Neas, Halûk Özkaynak, Lynne Messer, and Danelle Lobdell at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for their feedback on this publication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Epidemiology and Biomarkers Branch, Human Studies Division MD 58A, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA

    Markey Johnson

  2. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Jerome Nriagu

  3. ACCESS Community Health & Research Center, 6450 Maple Street, Dearborn, MI, USA

    Adnan Hammad & Kathryn Savoie

  4. Department of Family Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA

    Hikmet Jamil

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  1. Markey Johnson
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Correspondence to Markey Johnson.

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The information in this document has been subjected to review by the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory and approved for publication. Approval does not signify that the contents reflect the views of the Agency.

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Johnson, M., Nriagu, J., Hammad, A. et al. Asthma, Environmental Risk Factors, and Hypertension Among Arab Americans in Metro Detroit. J Immigrant Minority Health 12, 640–651 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-008-9205-8

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