RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Cost-related nonadherence to medications can be a barrier to asthma management. OBJECTIVE: To quantify the impact of public drug plan deductibles on adherence to asthma medications. METHODS: We used a quasi-experimental regression discontinuity analysis to determine whether thresholds in deductibles for public drug coverage, determined on the basis of annual household income, decreased medication use among lower-income children and adults with asthma in British Columbia from 2013 to 2018. Using dispensed medication records, we evaluated deductible thresholds at annual household incomes of $15,000 (a deductible increase from 0% to 2% of annual household income), and $30,000 (a deductible increase from 2% to 3% annual household income). We evaluated medication costs, use, the ratio of inhaled corticosteroids-containing controller medications to total medications, excessive use of short-acting ß-agonists, and the proportion of days covered by controller therapies. All costs are reported in 2020 Canadian dollars. RESULTS: Overall, 88,935 individuals contributed 443,847 person-years of follow-up (57% of female sex, mean age 31 years). Public drug subsidy decreased by -$41.74 (95% CI, -$28.34 to -$55.13) at the $15,000-deductible threshold, a 28% reduction, and patient costs increased by $48.45 (95% CI, $35.37-$61.53). The $30,000 deductible threshold did not affect public drug costs (P = .31), but patient costs increased by $27.65 (95% CI, $15.22-$40.09), which is an 11% increase. Asthma-related medication use, inhaled corticosteroids-to-total medication ratio, excessive use of short-acting ß-agonists, and proportion of days covered by controller therapies were not impacted by deductible thresholds. CONCLUSION: Income-based deductibles reduced public drug costs with no effect on asthma-related medication use, adherence to controller therapies, or excessive reliever therapy use in lower-income individuals with asthma.
Asunto(s)
Antiasmáticos , Asma , Adulto , Niño , Humanos , Femenino , Deducibles y Coseguros , Asma/tratamiento farmacológico , Colombia Británica , Renta , Corticoesteroides/uso terapéutico , Antiasmáticos/uso terapéutico , Cumplimiento de la MedicaciónRESUMEN
Throughout his career, John Schulenberg challenged us to understand adolescent development as the confluence of distal and proximal experiences along with critical transitions. Heeding this call, we examined whether chronic childhood peer victimization predicted adolescents' depressive symptoms via early-emerging depression growth trajectories, continued victimization into adolescence, and stress-amplification at the middle school transition. Self-reported depressive symptoms and teacher-reported and self-reported peer victimization were obtained from 636 youth (338 girls; Mage = 7.96 years, 66.7% White, 21.7% Black, 11.6% other) in the 2nd-9th grades. Latent growth curve analyses revealed that, by 7th grade, chronic childhood peer victimization was associated with depressive symptoms only through an indirect association with peer victimization in adolescence, underscoring how interrelated historical and ongoing interpersonal stressors contribute to adolescent psychopathology.
RESUMEN
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide a review of emerging literature describing the impact of diet on the respiratory response to air pollution in asthma. RECENT FINDINGS: Asthma phenotyping (observable characteristics) and endotyping (mechanistic pathways) have increased the specificity of diagnostic and treatment pathways and opened the doors to the identification of subphenotypes with enhanced susceptibility to exposures and interventions. Mechanisms underlying the airway immune response to air pollution are still being defined but include oxidative stress, inflammation, and activation of adaptive and innate immune responses, with genetic susceptibility highlighted. Of these, neutrophil recruitment and activation appear prominent; however, understanding neutrophil function in response to pollutant exposures is a research gap. Diet may play a role in asthma pathogenesis and morbidity; therefore, diet modification is a potential target opportunity to protect against pollutant-induced lung injury. In particular, in vivo and in vitro data suggest the potential for diet to modify the inflammatory response in the airways, including impacts on neutrophil recruitment and function. Murine models provide compelling results in regard to the potential for dietary components (including fiber, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids) to buffer against the inflammatory response to air pollution in the lung. Precision lifestyle approaches to asthma management and respiratory protection in the context of air pollution exposures may evolve to include diet, pending the results of further epidemiologic and causal investigation and with neutrophil recruitment and activation as a candidate mechanism.
Asunto(s)
Contaminantes Atmosféricos , Contaminación del Aire , Asma , Humanos , Ratones , Animales , Contaminantes Atmosféricos/efectos adversos , Contaminación del Aire/efectos adversos , Pulmón , Dieta/efectos adversos , Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales/efectos adversosRESUMEN
We investigated associations between family income-to-needs, nighttime bedroom temperature (NBT), and children's sleep. Using a sample of 46 children (M age = 11.5), we recorded NBT and objective sleep parameters via actigraphy nightly for one week to evaluate within- (night-to-night) and between-person associations. We found consistent evidence for a curvilinear association between NBT and sleep variables at the between-person level, indicating that children who slept in rooms that were "too hot" or "too cold" experienced poorer sleep. Moreover, children in lower income-to-needs families had more extreme NBTs. There was some evidence that family income-to-needs is indirectly related to sleep via NBT, but with interpretational caveats. These findings point to NBT as a potentially modifiable variable, which has implications for practical applications to mitigate effects of socioeconomic disparities on children's sleep.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Obese children with asthma are more vulnerable to air pollution, especially fine particulate matter (PM2.5), but reasons are poorly understood. We hypothesised that differences in breathing patterns (tidal volume, respiratory rate and minute ventilation) due to elevated body mass index (BMI) may contribute to this finding. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of BMI with breathing patterns and deposition of inhaled PM2.5. METHODS: Baseline data from a prospective study of children with asthma were analysed (n=174). Tidal breathing was measured by a pitot-tube flowmeter, from which tidal volume, respiratory rate and minute ventilation were obtained. The association of BMI z-score with breathing patterns was estimated in a multivariable model adjusted for age, height, race, sex and asthma severity. A particle dosimetry model simulated PM2.5 lung deposition based on BMI-associated changes in breathing patterns. RESULTS: Higher BMI was associated with higher tidal volume (adjusted mean difference (aMD) between obese and normal-range BMI of 25â mL, 95% CI 5-45â mL) and minute ventilation (aMD 453â mL·min-1, 95% CI 123-784â mL·min-1). Higher tidal volumes caused higher fractional deposition of PM2.5 in the lung, driven by greater alveolar deposition. This translated into obese participants having greater per-breath retention of inhaled PM2.5 (aMD in alveolar deposition fraction of 3.4%, 95% CI 1.3-5.5%), leading to worse PM2.5 deposition rates. CONCLUSIONS: Obese children with asthma breathe at higher tidal volumes that may increase the efficiency of PM2.5 deposition in the lung. This finding may partially explain why obese children with asthma exhibit greater sensitivity to air pollution.
Asunto(s)
Contaminantes Atmosféricos , Contaminación del Aire , Asma , Obesidad Infantil , Contaminantes Atmosféricos/análisis , Contaminación del Aire/análisis , Contaminación del Aire/estadística & datos numéricos , Asma/complicaciones , Niño , Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales , Humanos , Pulmón , Material Particulado/análisis , Obesidad Infantil/complicaciones , Estudios Prospectivos , Volumen de Ventilación PulmonarRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Black children and children from low-income communities are disproportionately affected by asthma, attributed partly to pollution exposure. Air purifiers reduce indoor air pollution and improve asthma symptoms in children. In order to implement air purifier interventions, an understanding of patterns of use and potential barriers is necessary. METHODS: In a home intervention study, 127 children with asthma living in Baltimore were randomized to receive two active or two placebo air purifiers. The 16-week study period included: baseline clinic visit, home visit for air purifier installation (active or placebo) with instruction to use the high or turbo settings, and electronic adherence monitoring of air purifiers. Determinants of adherence were identified using linear regression models. RESULTS: Air purifiers were used 80% of the time, and participants demonstrated adherence to high or turbo settings for 60% of the time. In an adjusted model, season was the major determinant of air purifier adherence, with 21% lower use in the winter (p = 0.025) attributed to the cold draft generated by the machine. CONCLUSION: In a clinical trial with electronic adherence monitoring, air purifier use was high and participants were adherent to use of high or turbo settings the majority of the time. Addressing practical barriers to consistent use, such as draft during the winter, in addition to financial barriers may improve air purifier adherence among children with asthma living in low-income, urban households. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRY NUMBER: NCT02763917.
Asunto(s)
Filtros de Aire , Contaminación del Aire Interior , Asma , Contaminación del Aire Interior/análisis , Asma/tratamiento farmacológico , Niño , Humanos , Pobreza , Estaciones del AñoRESUMEN
RATIONALE: Tobacco outlets are concentrated in low-income neighbourhoods; higher tobacco outlet density is associated with increased smoking prevalence. Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure has significant detrimental effects on childhood asthma. We hypothesised there was an association between higher tobacco outlet density, indoor air pollution and worse childhood asthma. METHODS: Baseline data from a home intervention study of 139 children (8-17 years) with asthma in Baltimore City included residential air nicotine monitoring, paired with serum cotinine and asthma control assessment. Participant addresses and tobacco outlets were geocoded and mapped. Multivariable regression modelling was used to describe the relationships between tobacco outlet density, SHS exposure and asthma control. RESULTS: Within a 500 m radius of each participant home, there were on average six tobacco outlets. Each additional tobacco outlet in a 500 m radius was associated with a 12% increase in air nicotine (p<0.01) and an 8% increase in serum cotinine (p=0.01). For every 10-fold increase in air nicotine levels, there was a 0.25-point increase in Asthma Therapy Assessment Questionnaire (ATAQ) score (p=0.01), and for every 10-fold increase in serum cotinine levels, there was a 0.54-point increase in ATAQ score (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Increased tobacco outlet density is associated with higher levels of bedroom air nicotine and serum cotinine. Increasing levels of SHS exposure (air nicotine and serum cotinine) are associated with less controlled childhood asthma. In Baltimore City, the health of children with asthma is adversely impacted in neighbourhoods where tobacco outlets are concentrated. The implications of our findings can inform community-level interventions to address these health disparities.
RESUMEN
Rationale: Racial residential segregation has been associated with worse health outcomes, but the link with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) morbidity has not been established.Objectives: To investigate whether racial residential segregation is associated with COPD morbidity among urban Black adults with or at risk of COPD.Methods: Racial residential segregation was assessed using isolation index, based on 2010 decennial census and baseline address, for Black former and current smokers in the multicenter SPIROMICS (Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study), a study of adults with or at risk for COPD. We tested the association between isolation index and respiratory symptoms, physiologic outcomes, imaging parameters, and exacerbation risk among urban Black residents, adjusting for established COPD risk factors, including smoking. Additional mediation analyses were conducted for factors that could lie on the pathway between segregation and COPD outcomes, including individual and neighborhood socioeconomic status, comorbidity burden, depression/anxiety, and ambient pollution.Measurements and Main Results: Among 515 Black participants, those residing in segregated neighborhoods (i.e., isolation index ⩾0.6) had worse COPD Assessment Test score (ß = 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.7 to 4.0), dyspnea (modified Medical Research Council scale; ß = 0.29; 95% CI, 0.10 to 0.47), quality of life (St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire; ß = 6.1; 95% CI, 2.3 to 9.9), and cough and sputum (ß = 0.8; 95% CI, 0.1 to 1.5); lower FEV1% predicted (ß = -7.3; 95% CI, -10.9 to -3.6); higher rate of any and severe exacerbations; and higher percentage emphysema (ß = 2.3; 95% CI, 0.7 to 3.9) and air trapping (ß = 3.8; 95% CI, 0.6 to 7.1). Adverse associations attenuated with adjustment for potential mediators but remained robust for several outcomes, including dyspnea, FEV1% predicted, percentage emphysema, and air trapping.Conclusions: Racial residential segregation was adversely associated with COPD morbidity among urban Black participants and supports the hypothesis that racial segregation plays a role in explaining health inequities affecting Black communities.
Asunto(s)
Negro o Afroamericano/estadística & datos numéricos , Disparidades en el Estado de Salud , Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica/etnología , Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica/mortalidad , Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica/fisiopatología , Segregación Social , Población Urbana/estadística & datos numéricos , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Características de la Residencia , Clase Social , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Estados Unidos/etnologíaRESUMEN
Mortality from COVID-19 has obscured a subtler crisis - the swelling ranks of COVID-19 survivors. After critical illness, patients often suffer post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), which encompasses physical, cognitive, and/or mental health impairments that are often long-lasting barriers to resuming a meaningful life. Some deficits after COVID-19 critical illness will require otolaryngologic expertise for years after hospital discharge. There are roles for all subspecialties in preventing, diagnosing, or treating sequelae of COVID-19. Otolaryngologist leadership in multidisciplinary efforts ensures coordinated care. Timely tracheostomy, when indicated, may shorten the course of intensive care unit stay and thereby potentially reduce the impairments associated with PICS. Otolaryngologists can provide expertise in olfactory disorders; thrombotic sequelae of hearing loss and vertigo; and laryngotracheal injuries that impair speech, voice, swallowing, communication, and breathing. In the aftermath of severe COVID-19, otolaryngologists are poised to lead efforts in early identification and intervention for impairments affecting patients' quality of life.
Asunto(s)
COVID-19/complicaciones , Enfermedad Crítica/terapia , Otorrinolaringólogos , Enfermedades Otorrinolaringológicas/etiología , Enfermedades Otorrinolaringológicas/terapia , Calidad de Vida , Supervivencia , Cuidados Críticos/métodos , Humanos , Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos , SARS-CoV-2RESUMEN
Smoking during pregnancy can lead to serious health consequences. Given such health risks, an understanding of factors that influence maternal smoking behaviors during pregnancy is critical. The objective of this study is to assess the relationship between tobacco store density, neighborhood socioeconomic status, and neighborhood rates of maternal smoking during pregnancy. Fifty-five community areas in Baltimore City were summarized using data from the Neighborhood Health Profiles. Associations between tobacco store density and smoking while pregnant in a community were determined using Moran's I and spatial regression analyses to account for autocorrelation. The fully adjusted model took into account the following community-level socioeconomic variables as covariates: neighborhood median income, percentage of those living in poverty, percentage of uninsured, and percentage of persons with at least a college degree. In regards to the findings, the percentage of women by community area who identified as actively smoking while pregnant was 10.4% ± 5.8%. The tobacco store density was 21.0 ± 12.7 per 10,000 persons (range 0.0-49.1 tobacco store density per 10,000 persons). In the adjusted model, an increase in density of 1 tobacco store per 10,000 persons was associated with a 10% increase in women who reported smoking during pregnancy (ß = 0.10, p = 0.04). In conclusion, tobacco store density and neighborhood socioeconomic factors were associated with prevalence of maternal smoking while pregnant. These findings support the need to further assess and develop interventions to reduce the impact of tobacco store density on smoking behaviors and health risks in communities.
Asunto(s)
Nicotiana , Productos de Tabaco , Femenino , Humanos , Embarazo , Mujeres Embarazadas , Fumar/epidemiología , Clase Social , Factores SocioeconómicosRESUMEN
Rationale: Higher indoor particulate matter (PM) concentrations are linked with increased asthma morbidity. Dietary intake of fatty acids, also linked with asthma outcomes, may influence this relationship. Objectives: To determine the relationship between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid intake and pediatric asthma morbidity, and the association between fatty acid intake and strength of indoor, PM-related asthma symptoms, albuterol use, and systemic inflammation. Methods: Analyses included 135 children with asthma enrolled in the AsthmaDIET Study. At baseline, 3 months, and 6 months, data included: week-long average home indoor concentration of PM ≤2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter and PM ≤10 µm in aerodynamic diameter, dietary intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, daily symptoms, and peripheral blood leukocytes. Asthma severity and lung function were assessed at baseline. Multivariable regression models, adjusted for known confounders, were used to determine associations between each fatty acid and outcomes of interest, with interaction terms (fatty acids × PM) in longitudinal analyses. Measurements and Main Results: Higher omega-6 intake associated with increased odds of increased asthma severity (P = 0.02), and lower FEV1/FVC ratio (P = 0.01). Higher omega-3 intake associated with reduced effect of indoor PM ≤2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter on symptoms (P < 0.01), whereas higher omega-6 intake associated with amplified effect of indoor PM ≤2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter on symptoms and circulating neutrophil percentage (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Omega-3 and omega-6 intake are associated with pediatric asthma morbidity and may modify the asthmatic response to indoor PM.
Asunto(s)
Contaminantes Atmosféricos/efectos adversos , Contaminación del Aire Interior/efectos adversos , Asma/inducido químicamente , Asma/dietoterapia , Ácidos Grasos Omega-3/uso terapéutico , Ácidos Grasos Omega-6/uso terapéutico , Baltimore , Niño , Preescolar , Femenino , Humanos , MasculinoRESUMEN
An obesity paradox in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), whereby overweight/obese individuals have improved survival, has been well-described. These studies have generally included smokers. It is unknown whether the paradox exists in individuals with COPD arising from factors other than smoking. Nonsmoking COPD is understudied yet represents some 25%-45% of the disease worldwide. To determine whether the obesity paradox differs between ever- and never-smokers with COPD, 1,723 adult participants with this condition were examined from 2 iterations of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994, 2007-2010), with mortality outcomes followed through December 2011. Using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for sociodemographic factors, lung function, and survey cycle, ever/never-smoking was found to modify the association between body mass index and hazard of death. Compared with normal-weight participants, overweight/obese participants had lower hazard of death among ever-smokers (for overweight, adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 0.56, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.43, 0.74; for obesity, aHR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.48, 0.92), but never-smokers did not (overweight, aHR = 1.41, 95% CI: 0.66, 3.03; obesity, aHR = 1.29, 95% CI: 0.48, 3.48). An obesity paradox appeared to be absent among never-smokers with COPD. This, to our knowledge, novel finding might be explained by pathophysiological differences between smoking-related and nonsmoking COPD or by smoking-associated methodological biases.
Asunto(s)
Obesidad/complicaciones , Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica/mortalidad , Fumar/efectos adversos , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Encuestas Nutricionales , Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica/complicaciones , Estados Unidos/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Omega-3 fatty acids, including alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and derivatives, play a key role in the resolution of inflammation. Higher intake has been linked to decreased morbidity in several diseases, though effects on respiratory diseases like COPD are understudied. METHODS: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), with a focus on dietary assessment, provides a unique opportunity to explore relationships between omega-3 intake and morbidity in respiratory diseases marked by inflammation in the United States (US) population. We investigated relationships between ALA or EPA + DHA intake and respiratory symptoms among US adults with COPD, as well as variation in relationships based on personal characteristics or exposures. RESULTS: Of 878 participants, mean age was 60.6 years, 48% were current smokers, and 68% completed high school. Omega-3 intake was, 1.71 ± 0.89 g (ALA), and 0.11 ± 0.21 g (EPA + DHA). Logistic regression models, adjusting for age, gender, race, body mass index, FEV1, education, smoking status, pack-years, total caloric intake, and omega-6 (linoleic acid, LA) intake demonstrated no primary associations between omega-3 intake and respiratory symptoms. Interaction terms were used to determine potential modification of relationships by personal characteristics (race, gender, education) or exposures (LA intake, smoking status), demonstrating that at lower levels of LA intake, increasing ALA intake was associated with reduced odds of chronic cough (pint = 0.015) and wheeze (pint = 0.037). EPA + DHA, but not ALA, was associated with reduced symptoms only among current smokers who did not complete high school. CONCLUSIONS: Individual factors should be taken into consideration when studying the association of fatty acid intake on respiratory diseases, as differential responses may reveal susceptible subgroups.
Asunto(s)
Tos/tratamiento farmacológico , Suplementos Dietéticos , Ácidos Grasos Omega-3/administración & dosificación , Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica/tratamiento farmacológico , Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica/fisiopatología , Ruidos Respiratorios/efectos de los fármacos , Anciano , Tos/epidemiología , Estudios Transversales , Ácidos Docosahexaenoicos/administración & dosificación , Ácido Eicosapentaenoico/administración & dosificación , Ácido Eicosapentaenoico/análogos & derivados , Femenino , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Encuestas Nutricionales , Pruebas de Función Respiratoria , Estados Unidos , Ácido alfa-Linolénico/administración & dosificaciónRESUMEN
CONTEXT: Secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) affects up to half of all children in the United States. Many studies have identified factors associated with in-home SHSe, but few have contrasted these factors between households with and without residential smokers. In the latter case, exposure occurs from only external sources that enter the home, such as visitors or environmental incursion. OBJECTIVE: Among children with SHSe at home, to examine demographic and psychosocial differences between households with and without residential smokers. DESIGN: Baseline analysis of an observational cohort. SETTING: Baltimore City, Maryland. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 157 children with asthma, aged 5 to 12 years. MEASURES: At-home airborne nicotine, caregiver-reported depression, asthma-related quality of life, functional social support, and demographics. Univariable comparisons were performed between SHS-exposed households with and without residential smokers. Multivariable logistic regression models were fit to examine associations between measured factors and absence of residential smokers. RESULTS: Children (78.3%) had at-home SHSe. Of these, 40.7% lived in households without residential smokers. Compared with households with residential smokers, these caregivers endorsed stronger beliefs in SHS harms and also worse functional social support and asthma-related stress, despite no differences in asthma morbidity. In adjusted models, SHS-exposed children with caregivers in the lowest tertile of functional social support (adjusted odds ratio, 3.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-10.99), asthma-related quality of life (2.90; 1.06-7.95), and those living alone (5.28; 1.26-22.15) had at least twice higher odds of having exclusively external SHSe than the highest tertile (P trends < .05). CONCLUSIONS: In-home SHS exposure remains alarmingly high in urban environments. However, a substantial proportion of this exposure appears to be occurring only from external sources that enter the home. Caregivers in these homes had higher desire but lower agency to avoid SHSe, driven by lack of functional support and physical isolation. Public policies targeting these factors may help remediate exposure in this especially vulnerable population.
Asunto(s)
Asma/fisiopatología , Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales/efectos adversos , Composición Familiar , Fumadores/estadística & datos numéricos , Contaminación por Humo de Tabaco/efectos adversos , Asma/epidemiología , Baltimore/epidemiología , Niño , Preescolar , Estudios de Cohortes , Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales/estadística & datos numéricos , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Contaminación por Humo de Tabaco/estadística & datos numéricos , Población Urbana/estadística & datos numéricosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: Secondhand smoke (SHS) and other air pollutants adversely affect the health of pregnant women and infants. A feasibility study aimed at reducing air pollution in homes of pregnant women or infants living with a smoker was completed. METHODS: In collaboration with the Baltimore City Health Department, women ≥ 18 years of age and either pregnant nonsmokers, or post-partum (any smoking status) with an infant age 0-12 months were recruited. Homes had at least one smoker. Intervention included two air purifiers and secondhand smoke education. Outcomes included feasibility, change in fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air nicotine, and salivary cotinine pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: Fifty women were enrolled (mean age 27 years, 92% African American, 71% single, 94% Medicaid eligible, 34% reported smoking) and 86% completed the study. Of the 50 women, 32 had infants and 18 were pregnant at time of enrollment. Post- intervention, 70% of participants reported smokers were less likely to smoke indoors, and 77% had at least one air purifier turned on at the final visit. Participant satisfaction was high (91%) and 98% would recommend air purifiers. Indoor PM2.5 was significantly decreased (P < 0.001). Salivary cotinine was significantly decreased for non-smoking women (P < 0.01) but not infants, and no significant change in air nicotine occurred (P = 0.6). CONCLUSIONS: Air purifiers with SHS education is a feasible intervention in homes of women and infants. These data demonstrate reduction in indoor PM2.5 and salivary cotinine in non-smoking adults. Air purifiers are not an alternative for smoking cessation and a home/ car smoking ban. Smoking cessation should be strongly encouraged for all pregnant women, and nonsmoking mothers with infants should be counseled to completely avoid SHS exposure. This study provides support for a future intervention evaluating clinical endpoints.
Asunto(s)
Filtros de Aire/estadística & datos numéricos , Contaminación del Aire Interior/prevención & control , Prevención del Hábito de Fumar/métodos , Contaminación por Humo de Tabaco/prevención & control , Adulto , Baltimore , Estudios de Factibilidad , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Recién Nacido , Embarazo , Cese del Hábito de Fumar/métodos , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Several studies suggest that the health of an individual is influenced by the socioeconomic status (SES) of the community in which he or she lives. This analysis seeks to understand the relationship between SES, tobacco store density and health outcomes at the neighbourhood level in a large urban community. METHODS: Data from the 55 neighbourhoods of Baltimore City were reviewed and parametric tests compared demographics and health outcomes for low-income and high-income neighbourhoods, defined by the 50th percentile in median household income. Summary statistics are expressed as median. Tobacco store density was evaluated as both an outcome and a predictor. Association between tobacco store densities and health outcomes was determined using Moran's I and spatial regression analyses to account for autocorrelation. RESULTS: Compared with higher-income neighbourhoods, lower-income neighbourhoods had higher tobacco store densities (30.5 vs 16.5 stores per 10 000 persons, P=0.01), lower life expectancy (68.5 vs 74.9 years, P<0.001) and higher age-adjusted mortality (130.8 vs 102.1 deaths per 10 000 persons, P<0.001), even when controlling for other store densities, median household income, race, education status and age of residents. CONCLUSION: In Baltimore City, median household income is inversely associated with tobacco store density, indicating poorer neighbourhoods in Baltimore City have greater accessibility to tobacco. Additionally, tobacco store density was linked to lower life expectancy, which underscores the necessity for interventions to reduce tobacco store densities.
Asunto(s)
Comercio/estadística & datos numéricos , Esperanza de Vida , Características de la Residencia/estadística & datos numéricos , Fumar/mortalidad , Clase Social , Productos de Tabaco/economía , Productos de Tabaco/estadística & datos numéricos , Baltimore/epidemiología , HumanosRESUMEN
This study aims to determine the impact of physical activity on asthma symptom reporting among children living in an inner city. Among 147 children aged 5-12 years with physician-diagnosed asthma, we assessed asthma symptoms using twice-daily diaries and physical activity using the physical activity questionnaire for children during three 8-day periods (baseline, 3 and 6 months). Linear, logistic, and quasi-poisson regression models were used to determine the association between physical activity and asthma symptoms; adjusting for age, sex, race, BMI, caregiver's education, asthma severity, medication use, and season. A 1-unit increase in PAQ score was significantly associated with reporting more nocturnal symptoms [risk ratio (RR): 1.03; 95% CI 1.00-1.06], daytime symptoms (RR: 1.04; 95% CI 1.00-1.09), being bothered by asthma (RR: 1.05; 95% CI 1.00-1.09), and trouble breathing (RR: 1.05; 95% CI 1.00-1.10). Level of physical activity should be taken into account in clinical management of asthma and epidemiological studies of asthma symptom burden.