Prevalence of Asthma and Its Associating Environmental Factors among 6–12-Year-Old Schoolchildren in a Metropolitan Environment—A Cross-Sectional, Questionnaire-Based Study

Bibliographic Data

ID15512573
AuthorsDávid Molnár (0000-0002-3825-2030, Semmelweis University, corresponding author), Gabriella Gálffy (0000-0001-7255-035X, Pest County Pulmonology Hospital, Törökbálint, 70 Munkácsy Mihály Street, H-2045 Torokbalint, Hungary), Alpár Horváth (0000-0003-0183-0180, Pest County Pulmonology Hospital, Törökbálint, 70 Munkácsy Mihály Street, H-2045 Torokbalint, Hungary), Gábor Tomisa (0000-0001-7889-636X, Medical Department of Chiesi Hungary Ltd., 2 Dunavirág Street, H-1138 Budapest, Hungary), Gábor Katona (0000-0003-1026-7983, Heim Pál Országos Gyermekgyógyászati Intézet), Andor Hirschberg (0000-0001-9929-3875, Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Saint John’s Hospital, 1-3 Diós árok Street, H-1125 Budapest, Hungary), G Mezei (0000-0002-6557-8650, Semmelweis University), Mónika Sultész (0000-0002-2356-8155, Heim Pál Országos Gyermekgyógyászati Intézet)
Year2021
Volume18
Issue24
Pages13403-13403
Publication date2021-12-20
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph182413403
PMID34949011
OpenAlexW4200580592
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited45

We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of asthma and its associating environmental factors within a 6-12-year-old population. A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted in primary schools located in the capital of Hungary; 3836 eligible parent-reported questionnaires were evaluated. Besides the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) phase three core questions for asthma, the survey also assessed various potential risk factors. We introduced the umbrella term cumulative asthma as the union of physician-diagnosed asthma and current wheezing to estimate the lifetime prevalence of asthma. Current wheezing and physician-diagnosed asthma showed a frequency of 9.5% and 6.3%, respectively. They contributed to a cumulative asthma prevalence of 12.6% among the sampled population, with a girl-boy percentage of 37.4% to 62.6%. Air-pollution and weedy areas were associated with greater risk for asthma, while a suburban residence showed lesser odds. Indoor smoking, visible mold, and keeping a dog were defined as risk factors for asthma, while the presence of plants in the bedroom and pet rodents were associated with lower odds ratios. The consumption of fast food, beverages containing additives and margarine were significantly higher in asthmatics, while we found frequent sport activity and cereal intake associated with lower odds ratios for asthma. In this urban environment, we identified an increased asthma prevalence compared to some previously published studies, but the cross-sectional design and the different methodology did not permit us to draw timeframe-dependent conclusions

Allergy · Asthma · Bedroom · Confidence interval · Cross-sectional study · Environmental health · Geography · Logistic regression · Odds · Odds ratio · Pathology · Population · Residence · Asthma and respiratory diseases · Demography · Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure · Medicine · Noise Effects and Management · Immunology · Internal Medicine · Pediatrics

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