Allergy: European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 69, Issue 4, 2014, Pages 494-500

Differing asthma prevalence by gross national index of country of birth among New York City residents (Article)

Chang M. , Kelvin E.A.*
  • a Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program, CUNY School of Public Health, Hunter College, 2180 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10035, United States
  • b Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program, CUNY School of Public Health, Hunter College, 2180 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10035, United States

Abstract

Background The hygiene hypothesis suggests that higher exposure to infectious agents may be one reason for regional differences in asthma. This would suggest that immigrants from less developed countries, where infections are more common, to highly developed countries will have lower risk of asthma compared with natives, as has been found in a number of studies. We expand the research on immigrants to look at the level of development in country of origin as a predictor of asthma in New York City residents. Methods Data came from the 2009 cross-sectional Community Health Survey. We used logistic regression to assess the relationship of country of birth and the gross national income (GNI), an indicator of the level of development, of country of birth with asthma among immigrants and US-born New York City residents. Results Those who were foreign born had lower odds of having asthma compared with those US born (OR = 0.43, P < 0.001). There was a dose relationship between GNI and asthma with decreasing odds of having asthma associated with lower GNI in country of birth (low GNI country: OR = 0.26, P = 0.014; middle GNI country: OR = 0.36, P < 0.001; and high GNI country = reference). Conclusions These findings lend support to the hygiene hypothesis in that the odds of having asthma among New York City residents was lowest among people born in the least developed countries, as indicated by GNI, where infections are likely the most common. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Author Keywords

GNI per capita Asthma Immigrant effect Hygiene hypothesis

Index Keywords

immigrant predictive value human middle aged birthplace Odds Ratio priority journal Aged Logistic Models Public Health Surveillance United States Young Adult income cross-sectional study Humans Adolescent male Emigrants and Immigrants asthma residential area Aged, 80 and over female immigrant effect Risk Factors GNI per capita prevalence Article major clinical study adult New York City developed country Hygiene hypothesis health survey

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84895553873&doi=10.1111%2fall.12367&partnerID=40&md5=dc468fa31d59afadcf6520c6a6bad87f

DOI: 10.1111/all.12367
ISSN: 01054538
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English