TY - JOUR
T1 - Does low birth weight help to explain the increased prevalence of asthma among African-Americans?
AU - Joseph, Christine L.M.
AU - Ownby, Dennis R.
AU - Peterson, Edward L.
AU - Johnson, Christine C.
PY - 2002/5/1
Y1 - 2002/5/1
N2 - Background: Racial disparities in asthma prevalence are not fully explained. Previous studies have reported an association between low birth weight (LBW) and asthma. African-Americans are at a heightened risk for both conditions. Objective: The objective of this analysis was to study a sample of suburban schoolchildren to determine if increased asthma prevalence in African-Americans could be explained by report of LBW. Methods: Logistic regression was used to analyze telephone survey and clinical data for a sample of 126 children, aged 6 to 8 years. Results: African-Americans reported asthma (12.5% vs 5.3%) and LBW (16.6% vs 3.9%) more frequently than non-African-Americans. After adjusting for LBW, the odds ratio for the association of African-American race to asthma was reduced from 2.6 to 1.8, whereas LBW remained independently associated with asthma, adjusted odds ratio = 5.1(95% CI:1.4 to 18.9). The adjusted population risk for asthma due to LBW was 0.31. Conclusions: High rates of LBW for African-Americans may contribute to racial disparities in asthma prevalence.
AB - Background: Racial disparities in asthma prevalence are not fully explained. Previous studies have reported an association between low birth weight (LBW) and asthma. African-Americans are at a heightened risk for both conditions. Objective: The objective of this analysis was to study a sample of suburban schoolchildren to determine if increased asthma prevalence in African-Americans could be explained by report of LBW. Methods: Logistic regression was used to analyze telephone survey and clinical data for a sample of 126 children, aged 6 to 8 years. Results: African-Americans reported asthma (12.5% vs 5.3%) and LBW (16.6% vs 3.9%) more frequently than non-African-Americans. After adjusting for LBW, the odds ratio for the association of African-American race to asthma was reduced from 2.6 to 1.8, whereas LBW remained independently associated with asthma, adjusted odds ratio = 5.1(95% CI:1.4 to 18.9). The adjusted population risk for asthma due to LBW was 0.31. Conclusions: High rates of LBW for African-Americans may contribute to racial disparities in asthma prevalence.
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U2 - 10.1016/S1081-1206(10)62390-3
DO - 10.1016/S1081-1206(10)62390-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 12027073
AN - SCOPUS:0036590960
SN - 1081-1206
VL - 88
SP - 507
EP - 512
JO - Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
JF - Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
IS - 5
ER -