Abstract
Atopic eczema is a common health problem in children. The prevalence has increased in the past decades. Besides a genetic predisposition, lifestyle factors, dietary habits and indoor environments are thought to be related to its high prevalence. A cross-sectional questionnaire study was carried out in 2011 in the Wuhan area to study associations between home environments and children’s health. The questionnaires were replied to by parents of 2193 children 1–8 years old and the response rate was 91.4% (2193/2400). The results show: (1) The prevalence of “eczema symptom ever that lasted for 6 months” was 23.2%; “eczema symptom in the last 12 months” 7.4% and “awake at night due to itchy rash” 3.4%. (2) Risk factors: Closer to business area (AOR 1.4), moisture related problems (AOR 1.3–2.2), moldy and stuffy odor perception (AOR 1.5), mice observed (AOR 1.8), pet keeping (AOR 1.3), exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (AOR 1.3) and incense (AOR 1.8) were significant risk factors for atopic eczema symptoms ever. Living in an apartment, compared to single family house, was related to more eczema symptom in the last 12 months. Damp clothing/bed sheets and perception of stuffy odor were risk factors for both “eczema symptom in the last 12 months” and “awake due to itchy rash (severe eczema)”. The odds ratio of mice observed for severe eczema was 3.1 (95% CI: 1.4–6.7). It suggests that urbanization, life style and dampness problems at home were significant risk factors for eczema symptoms among children in Wuhan, China.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Golding J, Peters T J. The epidemiology of childhood eczema: A population-based study of associations. Paediatr Perinat Epi, 1987, 1: 67–79
Schultz L F, Holm N V, Henningsen K. Atopic dermatitis: A genetic-epidemiological study in a population-based twin sample. J Am Acad Dermatol, 1986, 15: 487–494
Walling H W, Swick B L. Update on the management of chronic eczema: New approaches and emerging treatment options. Clin Cos Inves Dermatol, 2010, 3: 99–117
Herd R M, Tidman M J, Hunter J A A, et al. The cost of atopic eczema. Brit J Dermatol, 1996, 135: 20–23
Asher M I, Montefort S, Bjorksten B, et al. Worldwide time trends in the prevalence of symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema in childhood: ISAAC phases one and three repeat multicountry cross-sectional surveys. Lancet, 2006, 368: 733–743
Myers J M B, Hershey G K K. Eczema in early life: Genetics, the skin barrier, and lessons learned from birth cohort studies. J Pediatr, 2010, 157: 704–714
Asher M I, Stewart A W, Mallol J, et al. Which population level environmental factors are associated with asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema?. Review of the ecological analyses of ISAAC Phase One. Resp Res, 2010, 11: 8
Yi O, Kwon H J, Kim H, et al. Effect of environmental tobacco smoke on atopic dermatitis among children in Korea. Environ Res, 2012, 113: 40–45
Ring J, Kramer U, Schafer T, et al. Environmental risk factors for respiratory and skin atopy: Results from epidemiological studies in former East and West Germany. Int Arch Allergy Imm, 1999, 118: 403–407
Koskinen O M, Husman T M, Meklin T M, et al. Adverse health effects in children associated with moisture and mold observations in houses. Int J Environ Heal Res, 1999, 9: 143–156
Bornehag C G, Sundell J, Hagerhed-Engman L, et al. ‘Dampness’ at home and its association with airway, nose, and skin symptoms among 10851 preschool children in Sweden: A crosssectional study. Indoor Air, 2005, 15(Suppl 10): 48–55
Williams H, Robertson C, Stewart A, et al. Worldwide variations in the prevalence of symptoms of atopic eczema in the international study of asthma and allergies in childhood. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 1999, 103: 125–138
Bornehag C G, Blomquist G, Gyntelberg F, et al. Dampness in Buildings and Health. Nordic interdisciplinary review of the scientific evidence on associations between exposure to ‘dampness’ and health effects, NORDDAMP. Indoor Air, 2001, 11: 72–86
Naydenov K, Popov T, Mustakov T, et al. The association of pet keeping at home with symptoms in airways, nose and skin among Bulgarian children. Pediatr Allergy Immunol, 2008, 19: 702–708
Weiland S K, Bjorksten B, Brunekreef B, et al. Phase II of the international study of asthma and allergies in childhood (ISAAC II): Rationale and methods. Eur Respir J, 2004, 24: 406–412
Sun Y, Sundell J. Life style and home environment are associated with racial disparities of asthma and allergy in Northeast Texas children. Sci Total Environ, 2011, 409: 4229–4234
McNally N J, Phillips D R, Williams H C. The problem of atopic eczema: Aetiological clues from the environment and lifestyles. Soc Sci Med, 1998, 46: 729–741
Schafer T, Heinrich J, Wjst M, et al. Indoor risk factors for atopic eczema in school children from East Germany. Environ Res, 1999, 81: 151–158
Flohr C, Nagel G, Weinmayr G, et al. Lack of evidence for a protective effect of prolonged breastfeeding on childhood eczema: Lessons from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase Two. Brit J Dermatol, 2011, 165: 1280–1289
Behrendt H, Kramer U, Ring J, et al. The role of environmental pollutants in atopic dermatitis. In: Proceedings of Clinical Dermatology 2000: An International Congress, Vancouver, 1996. 114
George A O. Atopic dermatitis in Nigeria. Int J Dermatol, 1989, 28: 237–239
Robinson C L, Baumann L M, Romero K, et al. Effect of urbanization on asthma, allergy and airways inflammation in a developing country setting. Thorax, 2011, 66: 1051–1057
Bornehag C G, Sundell J, Hagerhed L, et al. Pet-keeping in early childhood and airway, nose and skin symptoms later in life. Allergy, 2003, 58: 939–944
Schafer T, Stieger B, Polzius R, et al. Atopic eczema and indoor climate: results from the children from Lubeck allergy and environment study (KLAUS). Allergy, 2008, 63: 244–246
Miyake Y, Ohya Y, Tanaka K, et al. Home environment and suspected atopic eczema in Japanese infants: The Osaka maternal and child health study. Pediatr Allerg Imm, 2007, 18: 425–432
Sun Y, Zhang Y, Bao L, et al. Ventilation and dampness in dorms and their associations with allergy among college students in China: A case-control study. Indoor Air, 2011, 21: 277–283
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Additional information
This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com
Rights and permissions
This article is published under an open access license. Please check the 'Copyright Information' section either on this page or in the PDF for details of this license and what re-use is permitted. If your intended use exceeds what is permitted by the license or if you are unable to locate the licence and re-use information, please contact the Rights and Permissions team.
About this article
Cite this article
Zhang, M., Wu, Y., Yuan, Y. et al. Effects of home environment and lifestyles on prevalence of atopic eczema among children in Wuhan area of China. Chin. Sci. Bull. 58, 4217–4222 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-013-5685-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-013-5685-6