Prevalence of indoor allergen exposures among New Orleans children with asthma

Prevalence of indoor allergen exposures among New Orleans children with asthma

Studies of inner-city asthmatic children have shown significant regional variation in dust allergen exposures. The home environment of asthmatic children in the Gulf South region of the USA has not been characterized. This study describes indoor dust allergen levels in the homes of 86 asthmatic chil...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of urban health Vol. 84; no. 6; pp. 782 - 792
Main Authors: Rabito, Felicia A, Iqbal, Shahed, Holt, Elizabeth, Grimsley, L Faye, Islam, Tareq M S, Scott, Susanne K
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States Springer Nature B.V 01-11-2007
Springer US
Subjects:
Adolescent
Air Pollution, Indoor - adverse effects
Air Pollution, Indoor - analysis
Air Pollution, Indoor - statistics & numerical data
Allergens
Allergens - adverse effects
Allergens - analysis
Allergies
Asthma
Asthma - epidemiology
Asthma - etiology
Child
Child, Preschool
Children & youth
Cities
Cross-Sectional Studies
Dust - analysis
Environmental Exposure - adverse effects
Environmental Exposure - analysis
Environmental Exposure - statistics & numerical data
Environmental Monitoring
Epidemiological Monitoring
Exposure
Female
Home environment
Households
Housing
Humans
Indoor air quality
Louisiana
Male
Mites
Urban Health - statistics & numerical data
Louisiana
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Summary:Studies of inner-city asthmatic children have shown significant regional variation in dust allergen exposures. The home environment of asthmatic children in the Gulf South region of the USA has not been characterized. This study describes indoor dust allergen levels in the homes of 86 asthmatic children in New Orleans and explores regional variability in dust allergen exposure. Data were used from baseline home visits of children in the New Orleans Healthy Homes Initiative. Interview, visual observation, and environmental dust sampling data of 86 children between 4 and 17 years of age were analyzed. Seventy-seven percent of households had moderate (>2.0-9.9 microg/g) or high (> or =10.0 microg/g) levels of either Der p 1 or Der f 1 dust mite allergen and 56.6% had moderate (>2.0-8.0 U/g) or high (>8.0 U/g) levels of cockroach allergen (Bla g 1). The prevalence of high (>10 microg/g) levels of dog (Can f 1) allergen was 26.5%, and few households (6.0%) had high cat allergen (Fel d 1) levels (>8.0 microg/g). Households with average humidity levels >50% were three times more likely to have elevated dust mite levels (odds ratio = 3.2; 95% confidence interval = 1.1, 9.3; p = 0.03). Home ownership and education level were inversely associated with cockroach and dust mite allergen levels, respectively. Our findings reinforce the evidence of regional variability in dust allergen exposure levels. Asthmatic children living in the Gulf South are exposed to multiple indoor allergen exposures and live in a highly allergenic environment.
ISSN:1099-3460
1468-2869
DOI:10.1007/s11524-007-9216-0