Risk factors for asthma and cough among Hispanic children in the southwestern United States of America, 2003-2004.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and mother's place of birth (Mexico vs. United States of America) on the prevalence of asthma and dry nighttime cough among children 2-12 years old residing in the southwestern United States. METHODS: Data were collected from November 2003 through March 2004 as part of a health survey of Hispanic mothers with young children who sought emergency, nutrition, or other clinical services. Information about respiratory health was obtained for one randomly selected child per United States-born (no. = 144) or Mexico-born (no. = 125) mother. Information on maternal and household sociodemographic variables, smoking, parental asthma, and child's exposure to room or automobile ETS during the previous seven days was also collected. Adjusted prevalence ratios were estimated with modified Poisson regression models. RESULTS: Most sociodemographic and ETS exposure variables differed significantly by mother's country of birth. Modeled asthma prevalence was 1.95 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03-3.68] times greater in children of United States-born mothers than children of Mexico-born mothers. This difference persisted after known asthma risk factors were controlled for, including parental asthma, socioeconomic and demographic variables, and child ETS exposure. Children's recent automobile ETS exposure was associated with dry nighttime cough [adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.19-3.15] and asthma (PR = 2.09; 95% CI = 0.99-4.39). CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to ETS in automobiles is an important risk factor for asthma and dry nighttime cough among Hispanic children in the southwest United States, regardless of mother's country of birth. Further research is needed to identify causes of the higher prevalence of asthma in Hispanic children of United States-born mothers.

Risk factors for asthma and cough among Hispanic children in the southwestern United States of America, 2003-2004

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and mother's place of birth (Mexico vs. United States of America) on the prevalence of asthma and dry nighttime cough among children 2-12 years old residing in the southwestern United States. METHODS: Data were collected from November 2003 through March 2004 as part of a health survey of Hispanic mothers with young children who sought emergency, nutrition, or other clinical services. Information about respiratory health was obtained for one randomly selected child per United States-born (no. = 144) or Mexico-born (no. = 125) mother. Information on maternal and household sociodemographic variables, smoking, parental asthma, and child's exposure to room or automobile ETS during the previous seven days was also collected. Adjusted prevalence ratios were estimated with modified Poisson regression models. RESULTS: Most sociodemographic and ETS exposure variables differed significantly by mother's country of birth. Modeled asthma prevalence was 1.95 [95 percent confidence interval (CI) = 1.03-3.68] times greater in children of United States-born mothers than children of Mexico-born mothers. This difference persisted after known asthma risk factors were controlled for, including parental asthma, socioeconomic and demographic variables, and child ETS exposure. Childrens' recent automobile ETS exposure was associated with dry nighttime cough [adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.94, 95 percent CI = 1.19-3.15] and asthma (PR = 2.09; 95 percent CI = 0.99-4.39). CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to ETS in automobiles is an important risk factor for asthma and dry nighttime cough among Hispanic children in the southwest United States, regardless of mother's country of birth. Further research is needed to identify causes of the higher prevalence of asthma in Hispanic children of United States-born mothers.

OBJETIVOS: Se investigó el impacto de la exposición al humo ambiental del tabaco (HAT) y del país de nacimiento de la madre (México frente a los Estados Unidos de América) en la prevalencia de asma y tos seca nocturna en niños de 2-12 años de edad que viven en el suroeste de los Estados Unidos de América. MÉTODOS: Los datos se colectaron de noviembre de 2003 a marzo de 2004 como parte de una encuesta de salud de madres hispanas con hijos pequeños, que solicitaron servicios de emergencia, nutrición o clínicos. Se obtuvo la información sobre el estado de salud respiratoria de un hijo seleccionado aleatoriamente por cada madre nacida en los Estados Unidos de América (n = 144) o en México (n = 125). Se colectó información sobre las variables sociodemográficas de la madre y del hogar, el hábito de fumar, los antecedentes de asma de los padres y la exposición del niño al HAT en habitaciones o automóviles en los siete días previos. Las razones de prevalencia ajustadas se estimaron mediante modelos de regresión de Poisson modificados. RESULTADOS: La mayoría de las variables sociodemográficas y de exposición al HAT presentaron diferencias significativas según el país de nacimiento de la madre. La prevalencia de asma según el modelo fue de 1,95 (intervalo de confianza de 95 por ciento [IC95 por ciento] = 1,03 a 3,68) veces mayor en niños de madres nacidas en Estados Unidos de América que en los de madres nacidas en México. Esta diferencia se mantuvo después de controlar por los factores de riesgo de asma conocidos, entre ellos los antecedentes de asma de los padres, las variables socioeconómicas y demográficas y la exposición del niño al HAT. La exposición reciente del niño al HAT en automóviles se asoció con la tos seca nocturna (razón de prevalencia ajustada [RP] = 1,94; IC95 por ciento = 1,19 a 3,15) y asma (RP = 2,09; IC95 por ciento = 0,99 a 4,39). CONCLUSIONES: La exposición al HAT en automóviles es un importante factor de riesgo de asma...

Using community-based participatory research to shape policy and prevent lead exposure among Native American children.

PROBLEM: In the mid 1990s, the Indian Health Service (IHS) observed that the percent of Native American children in northeast Oklahoma with elevated blood lead levels was higher than in other comparable areas. Tribal Efforts Against Lead (TEAL) was designed and implemented to study and address this problem using a lay health advisor model. PURPOSE: Using a case study approach, we studied the impacts of this community-based participatory research (CBPR) project on health-promoting public policy. We present TEAL's advocacy and policy steps, activities, and accomplishments in the policy arena, and recommendations for others interested in using CBPR to promote healthy public policy. KEY POINTS: Using a CBPR approach that incorporates Native American social networks can be effective in helping to achieve policy changes to address lead poisoning in a rural community. CONCLUSION: Using a CBPR approach that incorporated Native American social networks, TEAL played a major role in placing and maintaining lead poisoning on the policy agenda and in encouraging the local County Health Department and IHS to fully implement blood lead screening and parental notification for young children.

Understanding the increased risk of neural tube defect-affected pregnancies among Mexico-born women in California: immigration and anthropometric factors.

Mexico-born women in the United States have an unexplained twofold increased risk of neural tube defect (NTD)-affected pregnancies. We examined whether immigration characteristics were associated with the NTD risk and whether anthropometric factors contributed to the increased risk among Mexico-born women. Data were derived from a large population-based case-control study in California. In-person interviews were conducted with mothers of 538 (88% of eligible) NTD-affected fetuses/infants and mothers of 539 (88%) randomly selected non-malformed control infants. The crude odds ratio (OR) for NTDs among all Mexico-born women, women residing <2 years in the US, and women >16 years old at immigration compared with non-Hispanic white women was 2.4 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.8, 3.3], 7.2 [95% CI = 3.7, 14.0] and 3.0 [95% CI = 2.0, 4.4], respectively. Risk for second- or third-generation Mexican-Americans was similar to that of white women. The crude OR for all Mexico-born women was reduced from 2.4 to 2.0 [95% CI = 1.3, 3.0] and for those residing <2 years in the US from 8.4 to 7.1 [95% CI = 3.2, 15.3] after adjustment for maternal body mass index (BMI), height, compromised diet, diabetes, and other known risk factors. In term pregnancies, additional adjustment for pregnancy weight gain reduced the OR in all Mexico-born women and recent immigrants by 16% and 25%, respectively. Low pregnancy weight gain (<10 vs. 10-14 kg) was particularly associated with increased NTD risk among Mexico-born women (OR(ADJ) = 5.8; 95% CI = 2.1, 15.8). Findings indicate that recent Mexican immigrants have a sevenfold increased risk for NTDs. Maternal BMI and height contributed very little, and inadequate weight gain contributed modestly to the NTD risk disparity for Mexican immigrants.