Racial and ethnic disparities in sleep outcomes among urban children with and without asthma.

BACKGROUND: Suboptimal sleep has been documented in at-risk groups such as urban minority children, particularly those with asthma. It is therefore critical to examine differences in sleep outcomes across specific racial and ethnic groups and to identify factors that contribute to such variations in sleep outcomes to inform tailored interventions to improve sleep health. OBJECTIVES: The objectives were to examine racial/ethnic differences in sleep outcomes among urban children with and without asthma and to evaluate the extent to which asthma status and aspects of sleep hygiene and the sleep environment contribute to racial/ethnic differences in sleep outcomes in this sample. METHODS: Two hundred and sixteen African American, Latino, or non-Latino white (NLW) urban children, ages 7-9 years, with (n = 216) and without asthma (n = 130) and their primary caregivers were included. Objective sleep duration and efficiency were assessed via actigraphy. Asthma status was assessed by a study clinician. Caregiver-reported sleep hygiene and exposure to noise were assessed using a questionnaire. RESULTS: Minority children in the sample had, on average, shorter sleep duration compared to NLW children during the monitoring period (mean difference Latino vs NLW = -22.10, SE = 5.02; mean difference AA vs NLW = -18.69, SE = 5.28) Additionally, several racial/ethnic group differences in sleep outcomes emerged and were dependent on whether or not children had asthma. Specifically, Latinos had lower mean number of awakenings compared to NLWs but only among control participants with no asthma. Furthermore, specific aspects of sleep hygiene and exposure to nighttime noise in the home and neighborhood contributed to racial/ethnic differences in sleep outcomes. CONCLUSION: Considering urban stressors and asthma status when treating pediatric populations is important, as factors related to urban stress and asthma management may influence sleep hygiene practices and sleep outcomes.

Asthma and academic performance in urban children.

BACKGROUND: Urban minority children experience high levels of asthma morbidity. Poor school performance can be an indicator that asthma is in poor control. Little attention has been paid to examining real-time links between asthma and academic performance, particularly in high-risk groups. OBJECTIVE: Examine 1) academic performance across a range of indicators in a group of urban children with asthma and urban children without chronic illness and ethnic differences in these associations, and 2) associations between asthma and academic performance in the group of urban children with asthma and ethnic differences in these associations. METHODS: Two hundred sixteen black/African American (33%), Latino (46%), and non-Latino white (21%) urban children, ages 7 to 9 years completed a clinic- and home-based protocol that assessed asthma and allergy status, objective measurements of lung function, and academic functioning. RESULTS: Analyses revealed that children with asthma experienced a higher number of school absences when compared with healthy controls. Greater disparities in academic outcomes emerged when examining ethnic differences within the groups of children with and without asthma. Poor academic outcomes were observed in Latino children with asthma. Furthermore, a strong correspondence of poor asthma outcomes and decrements in academic performance were seen in the full sample, and these associations emerged across ethnic groups. CONCLUSION: Asthma activity contributes to poorer academic outcomes across a range of indicators, and urban minority children with asthma, particularly Latino children, may be at heightened risk for poorer academic performance. School management guidelines for asthma need to be consistently implemented and tailored for school staff, caregivers, and students with asthma to address challenges of managing asthma within the urban school setting.

Topical Review: Pediatric Food Allergies Among Diverse Children.

OBJECTIVE: To present a brief review of the literature regarding potential racial/ethnic disparities in pediatric food allergy (FA). METHODS: Topical review considering data regarding FA prevalence, asthma comorbidity, epinephrine access/use, and psychosocial impact (e.g., burden, quality of life). RESULTS: Methodological variation precludes firm conclusions regarding disparities in prevalence; however, some data suggest Black children may be at particular risk. The comorbidity of FA and asthma among urban populations may increase risk of negative outcomes. There are clear racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in epinephrine access and use. Psychosocial measures are frequently validated on samples that are not racially or ethnically diverse. Studies investigating FA's psychosocial impact are often composed of mostly White, non-Hispanic participants (>85% of study sample). CONCLUSIONS: Further research is needed to clarify prevalence patterns by race/ethnicity, to investigate the sources of disparity in epinephrine use, and to evaluate the differential impact of FA on diverse children.