Home environmental risk factors in urban minority asthmatic children
Huss, K.; Rand, C.S.; Butz, A.M.; Eggleston, P.A.; Murigande, C.; Thompson, L.C.; Schneider, S.; Weeks, K.; Malveaux, F.J.
Annals of Allergy 72(2): 173-177
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-4738 PMID: 8109808 Document Number: 429833
A total of 392 African-American asthmatic children, male and female, aged 5 to 12 years, from 42 schools in Washington, DC, and Baltimore, Maryland, USA, were enrolled in a project designed to test the effectiveness of school-based asthma education interventions, community-based asthma health worker's programmes and the combination on these children. Baseline telephone interviews were carried out with the primary home care-givers for demographic data and for environmental home exposures that exacerbated asthma. Exposures stated to cause wheezing in the children were cigarette smoke in 72%, dust in 53%, cats in 34%, dogs in 27% and cockroach exposure in 15%. 56% of children live with cigarette smoke exposure, 73% of which is from mothers. This was a highly symptomatic group with 44% reporting 2 or more days per week of restricted activity and 62% reporting 2 or more episodes of night symptoms per week. Those with mattress covers on beds had significantly fewer emergency department visits in the past 6 months than those without covers. Over one-third of parents reported children taking 2 bronchodilators without anti-inflammatory agents. <20% were reported using anti-inflammatory medications. Decreasing asthma severity in this population entails the prevention and control of known risk factors in the home environment. Emphasis must be placed on cigarette smoking cessation programmes, covering mattresses, and dust and animal dander control.