Environmental factors associated with childhood asthma in Puerto Ricans

Medsker, Brock (2016) Environmental factors associated with childhood asthma in Puerto Ricans. Master Essay, University of Pittsburgh.

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Abstract

Public Health Significance: Asthma is a major public health problem and the most common chronic disease of childhood in the United States. The burden of disease is unequally shared with Puerto Ricans having the highest prevalence, morbidity and mortality from asthma. Asthma is estimated to cost $56 billion dollars annually in the United States due to cost of treatment, hospitalization and absenteeism from work and school. Better understanding the role of risk factors and potential interventions will be critical in addressing this public health disparity. Rationale: Asthma is a multifactorial disease. Understanding the factors contributing to disparities in disease prevalence among Puerto Ricans will provide potential avenues for intervention or prevention. We will accomplish this by examining risk factors including maternal depression, maternal asthma, socioeconomic status and indoor allergen exposure. While maternal depression symptoms and maternal asthma have been separately associated with childhood asthma, no study has estimated their joint effects on asthma in children. Similarly no study has examined the cytokine changes associated with socioeconomic status and whether exposure to cockroach allergen plays a role in that relationship. Objective: To examine whether maternal depressive symptoms and maternal asthma interact on or have joint effects on childhood asthma. Separately, cytokine profiles as related to socioeconomic status and cockroach allergen exposure will be examined. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 655 children (ages 6-14 years) with (n=341) and without (n=314) asthma in San Juan (Puerto Rico). Measurements: Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CESD) Scale questionnaire. A CESD score ≥21 points among the Puerto Rican cohort was used to define significant depressive symptoms. A maternal history of asthma was defined as the child’s mother ever having asthma. Asthma in participating children was defined as physician-diagnosed asthma and current wheeze. Cytokine levels were measured using a commercially available TH17 cytokine panel. Cockroach and dust mite allergens were measured using a monoclonal antibody assay. Logistic regression was used for the multivariable analysis. Main Results: In a multivariable analysis, children whose mothers had both history of asthma and depressive symptoms had 6.5 times higher odds of asthma (95% confidence interval for the odds ratio=3.3 to 13.0, P

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Details

Item Type:	Other Thesis, Dissertation, or Long Paper (Master Essay)
Status:	Unpublished
Creators/Authors:	Creators Email Pitt Username ORCID Medsker, Brock bhm12@pitt.edu BHM12
Contributors:	Contribution Contributors Name Email Pitt Username ORCID Committee Chair Finegold, David N dnf@pitt.edu DNF UNSPECIFIED Committee Member Celedón, Juan C celedonj@pitt.edu CELEDONJ UNSPECIFIED
Date:	26 April 2016
Date Type:	Submission
Access Restriction:	No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately.
Publisher:	University of Pittsburgh
Institution:	University of Pittsburgh
Schools and Programs:	School of Public Health > Multidisciplinary MPH
Degree:	MPH - Master of Public Health
Thesis Type:	Master Essay
Refereed:	Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords:	asthma, depression, pediatric, epidemiology
Date Deposited:	07 Sep 2016 19:47
Last Modified:	14 Sep 2024 11:55
URI:	http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/27538

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