Asthma, Environmental Risk Factors, and Hypertension Among Arab Americans in Metro Detroit

• Published in: Journal of immigrant and minority health Vol. 12; no. 5; pp. 640 - 651
• Main Authors: Johnson, Markey, Nriagu, Jerome, Hammad, Adnan, Savoie, Kathryn, Jamil, Hikmet
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01-10-2010; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Air Pollution, Indoor; American people; Arab Americans; Arabs; Asthma; Asthma - epidemiology; Asthma - ethnology; Bilingualism; Chronic illnesses; Collaboration; Community Relations; Comparative Law; Councils; Cultural differences; Data Analysis; Data Collection; Environmental aspects; Environmental Exposure; Environmental health; Environmental Influences; Environmental protection; Environmental risk; Evidence; Female; Health problems; Households; Housing; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension - epidemiology; Hypertension - ethnology; Indoor air quality; Indoor environments; International & Foreign Law; Low Income; Low income groups; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolism; Michigan - epidemiology; Middle Aged; Middle East - ethnology; Minority & ethnic groups; Minority Groups; Noncitizens; Obesity; Original Paper; Outdoor air quality; Participatory Research; Physicians; Private International Law; Public Health; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Risk; Risk Factors; Social Services; Sociology; Translation; Urban areas; Young Adult; Middle East; Michigan; United States > US; Hypertension; Environmental risk factors; Indoor air pollution; Arab; Asthma
• ISSN: 1557-1912; 1557-1920
• DOI: 10.1007/s10903-008-9205-8

Asthma and obesity-related health problems disproportionately impact low-income ethnic minority communities residing in urban areas. Environmental risk factors, particularly those related to housing and indoor air, may impact the development or exacerbation of asthma. There is increasing evidence to suggest a link between obesity-related health problems and asthma. Previous studies have also reported that immigrant status may influence myriad risk factors and health outcomes among immigrant populations. The Arab American Environmental Health Project (AAEHP) was the first study to explore environmental health problems among Arab Americans. This paper examined whether hypertensive status modified the relationship between environmental risk factors and asthma among Arab Americans in metro Detroit. An environmental risk index (ERI) was used to quantify household environmental risk factors associated with asthma. Physician diagnosed hypertension was self-reported, and asthma status was determined using responses to a validated symptoms checklist and self-reported diagnosis by a physician. Hypertension significantly modified the relationship between ERI and asthma in this study population. The positive association between household environmental risk factors and asthma was stronger among participants diagnosed with hypertension. Effect modification of the relationship between environmental risk factors and asthma could have serious implications among high-risk communities. However, further research is needed to elucidate the relationships between hypertension, environmental risk factors, and asthma.