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Lessons for Primary Prevention of Asthma: Foreign-Born Children Have Less Association of SES and Pests with Asthma Diagnosis

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Abstract

There are no proven interventions for primary prevention of asthma. As asthma prevalence varies globally, comparing asthma in native and foreign-born children might provide insights. We pooled data from five cross sectional asthma surveys (N = 962). Place of birth was associated with asthma (OR = 3.4, P < 0.001). In children not born in the US, lower socio-economic status had no significant effect on asthma (OR = 0.71, P = 0.53), while for children born in the US, the effect was significant (OR = 2.1, P = 0.001). The odds ratio for exposure to household pests was significant (OR = 1.6, P < 0.008) for children born in the US but was non-significant for children born outside the US (OR = 0.29, P = 0.11). Our findings are consistent with foreign-born children experiencing protective factors or US born children experiencing detrimental environmental exposures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University School of Engineering, Medford, MA, USA

    Mark Woodin

  2. Department of Public Health and Family Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA

    Alice H. Tin & Doug Brugge

  3. University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA

    Sarah Moy

  4. Executive Health Resources, Newtown Square, Delaware County, PA, USA

    Michele Palella

  5. Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA, 02111, USA

    Doug Brugge

Authors
  1. Mark Woodin
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  2. Alice H. Tin
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  3. Sarah Moy
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  4. Michele Palella
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  5. Doug Brugge
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Correspondence to Doug Brugge.

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Woodin, M., Tin, A.H., Moy, S. et al. Lessons for Primary Prevention of Asthma: Foreign-Born Children Have Less Association of SES and Pests with Asthma Diagnosis. J Immigrant Minority Health 13, 462–469 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-010-9407-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-010-9407-8

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