RESUMEN
An evaluation of weather/asthma relationships in the New York City Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA) is developed using a synoptic climatological methodology. This procedure isolates "air masses," or bodies of air that are homogeneous in meteorological character, and relates them to daily counts of overnight asthma hospital admissions. The synoptic procedure used here, known as the temporal synoptic index (TSI), can identify air masses in automated fashion for every day over many years. It is apparent that certain air masses are related to statistically significant increases in asthma hospital admissions. The impact varies seasonally, with weather having a particularly important impact on asthma admissions during fall and winter. It appears that air pollution has little impact on asthma during these two seasons, and the air masses associated with the highest admissions are not distinguished by high concentrations of pollutants. However, during spring and summer, the air masses associated with highest admissions are among those with high pollution concentrations. There is a strong interseasonal differential response to weather and air pollution by asthmatics in New York City. If these results can be replicated at other locations in future studies, it may be possible to develop an asthma/weather watch-warning system, based on the expected arrival of high-admissions air masses.
Asunto(s)
Asma/epidemiología , Hospitalización/estadística & datos numéricos , Conceptos Meteorológicos , Contaminantes Atmosféricos/análisis , Alérgenos/análisis , Asma/terapia , Humanos , Humedad , Ciudad de Nueva York/epidemiología , Polen , Análisis de Regresión , Estaciones del Año , TemperaturaAsunto(s)
Asma/epidemiología , Población Urbana , Adolescente , Adulto , Asma/fisiopatología , Asma/prevención & control , Niño , Características Culturales , Etnicidad , Estudios de Evaluación como Asunto , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud/normas , Hospitalización/estadística & datos numéricos , Humanos , Mediciones del Volumen Pulmonar , Programas Nacionales de Salud/organización & administración , Cooperación del Paciente , Educación del Paciente como Asunto/organización & administración , Educación del Paciente como Asunto/normas , Pobreza , Prevalencia , Grupos Raciales , Características de la Residencia , Factores de Riesgo , Medio Social , Factores Socioeconómicos , Estados Unidos/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
The prevalence rates of hypertension among adult (ages 18-74) Mexican Americans, Cuban Americans, and Puerto Ricans were estimated using data from the 1982-84 Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HHANES). Hypertension is defined as diastolic greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg, or systolic greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg, or currently taking antihypertensive medication. Among Mexican Americans in the Southwestern United States, 16.8 percent of the males and 14.1 percent of the females were found to be hypertensive. Among Cuban Americans in Dade County, Florida 22.8 percent of the males and 15.5 percent of the females were hypertensive. Among Puerto Ricans in the New York City area 15.6 percent of the males and 11.5 percent of the females were hypertensive. The age-adjusted rates are significantly lower than comparable rates for Whites and Blacks as measured in the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II), 1976-80. Control of hypertension in the HHANES populations fall short of the 1990 Objectives for the Nation established by the US Public Health Service 60 percent (34 percent controlled Mexican American hypertensives, 27.8 percent controlled Cuban American hypertensives, and 29 percent controlled Puerto Rican hypertensives.