Asthmatic Symptoms in Children and Adolescents: the Role of Maternal Experiences of Racial Discrimination.

Emerging evidence suggests that vicarious racial experiences of discrimination may negatively influence child health. Few studies have focus on childhood asthma symptoms and potential moderators of such relationship. METHODS: We used two population-based cross-sectional studies from the Social Change Allergy and Asthma in Latin America project in Salvador, Brazil. A total of 1003 children and mothers interviewed in 2006 were included, of whom 873 were reached again in 2013. Vicarious racial discrimination was assessed in mothers by applying the Experiences of Discrimination scale. Data on wheeze and environmental exposures were collected with standardized questionnaires. Levels of allergen-specific IgE were measured to identify atopy. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate the association between maternal discrimination and wheezing and asthma phenotypes. Interaction terms were evaluated to identify whether mothers' mental health and family social support modified such associations. RESULTS: Children whose mothers reported racial discrimination had greater odds of have asthma symptoms (OR 1.75; 95% CI 1.15-2.67) and non-atopic asthma (OR 1.92; 95% CI 1.09-3.40). When we considered effect modification by social support, we found a higher ORs when the level of social support was lower (OR 2.43; 95% IC 1.19-4.97) than when the level of social support was higher (OR 1.12; CI 0.64-1.96). CONCLUSION: Maternal discrimination was associated with asthma symptoms and with non-atopic phenotype among their children. Enjoying wider social support network appears to buffer the effect on asthmatic symptoms. Intervention on childhood asthma needs to incorporate strategies that target the family.

Personal-Level and Group-Level Discrimination and Mental Health: the Role of Skin Color.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the association between personal-level and group-level discrimination and common mental disorders (CMDs) among Afro-Brazilian women, aiming to explore the role of skin color on this association. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study involving 1130 women who were participating in the Social Change, Asthma and Allergy in Latin America (SCAALA) study, whose children were recruited from 24 geographical micro-regions representative of the population without sanitation. Measures of discrimination were defined by: experiences (personal-level) and concern about discrimination (group-level) using the Experiences of Discrimination Scale. Skin color was registered by self-declaration, being classified as white, brown, and black. The association between "self-reported" discrimination and CMDs was evaluated using Poisson regression analysis. RESULTS: Prevalence of CMDs was high (38.3%), especially in the group exposed to discriminatory experiences and black women. Experiences and concern about discrimination were positive and significantly associated with mental health, before and after adjustment for potential confounders. The effect of discrimination on CMDs was lower among black women, suggesting the development of other strategies to confront racism. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the use of both personal- and group-level discrimination measures, as well as skin color, for the evaluation of mental disorders in public health research. Further studies of health consequences of discrimination will require investigation of protective factors for mental disorders in the population suffering discrimination and racism.

[Validity of the Experiences of Discrimination scale in a Brazilian population]. / Validade de constructo da escala Experiences of Discrimination em uma população brasileira.

One of the most widely used tools in epidemiological research on discrimination is the Experiences of Discrimination (EOD) scale, used but not validated in Brazil. The objective was to assess the reliability and dimensional structure of the EOD scale in a Brazilian population. A cross-sectional study was performed with 1,380 adults in the city of Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed testing a two-factor model: experiences of discrimination and concerned about discrimination. The results of CFA showed satisfactory fit, high factor loads, and adequate reliability, confirming the scale's internal consistency. Residual correlations were identified involving items from both factors. The dimensional structure presented in this study highlights the importance of using different measures of discrimination (interpersonal and group) to allow more in-depth future research on the effects of racism on health.

Validade de constructo da escala Experiences of Discrimination em uma população brasileira / Validity of the Experiences of Discrimination scale in a Brazilian population / Validez del constructo de la escala Experiences of Discrimination en una población brasileña

Um dos instrumentos mais utilizados na pesquisa epidemiológica sobre discriminação é o Experiences of Discrimination (EOD), utilizada no Brasil, porém não validado. O objetivo foi avaliar a confiabilidade e estrutura dimensional da escala EOD em uma população brasileira. Foi conduzido um estudo transversal com 1.380 adultos da cidade de Salvador, Bahia, Brasil. Realizou-se análise fatorial confirmatória (AFC) testando um modelo de dois fatores: experiência de discriminação e preocupação por discriminação. Os resultados da AFC mostraram parâmetros satisfatórios de ajuste, elevadas cargas fatoriais e valores adequados de confiabilidade, confirmando a consistência interna da escala. Identificaram-se correlações residuais envolvendo itens de ambos os fatores. A estrutura dimensional apresentada neste estudo destaca a importância de utilizar diferentes medidas de discriminação - interpessoais e grupais - que permitam em estudos futuros aprofundar nos efeitos do racismo sobre a saúde.

One of the most widely used tools in epidemiological research on discrimination is the Experiences of Discrimination (EOD) scale, used but not validated in Brazil. The objective was to assess the reliability and dimensional structure of the EOD scale in a Brazilian population. A cross-sectional study was performed with 1,380 adults in the city of Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed testing a two-factor model: experiences of discrimination and concerned about discrimination. The results of CFA showed satisfactory fit, high factor loads, and adequate reliability, confirming the scale's internal consistency. Residual correlations were identified involving items from both factors. The dimensional structure presented in this study highlights the importance of using different measures of discrimination (interpersonal and group) to allow more in-depth future research on the effects of racism on health.

Uno de los instrumentos más utilizados en investigación epidemiológica sobre discriminación es el Experiences of Discrimination (EOD), utilizado en Brasil, aunque aún no fue validado em esta población. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la validez y estructura dimensional de la EOD en una población brasileña. Se realizó un estudio transversal con 1.380 adultos de la ciudad de Salvador, Bahía, Brasil. Se realizó un análisis factorial confirmatorio (AFC), probando un modelo de dos factores: experiencias de discriminación y preocupación por la discriminación. Los resultados de la AFC mostraron parámetros satisfactorios de ajuste, elevadas cargas factoriales y valores adecuados de confiabilidad, confirmando la consistencia interna de la escala. Se identificaron correlaciones residuales, involucrando ítems de ambos factores. La estructura dimensional presentada en este estudio destaca la importancia de utilizar diferentes medidas de discriminación -interpersonales y grupales-, que permitan en estudios futuros profundizar en los efectos del racismo sobre la salud.

Socioeconomic and environmental determinants of adolescent asthma in urban Latin America: an ecological analysis / Determinantes socioeconômicos e ambientais da asma em adolescentes em centros urbanos da América Latina: um estudo ecológico / Determinantes socioeconómicos y ambientales del asma en adolescentes en centros urbanos de América Latina: un estudio ecológico

Abstract The prevalence of asthma is high in urban areas of many Latin-American countries where societies show high levels of inequality and different levels of development. This study aimed to examine the relationship between asthma symptoms prevalence in adolescents living in Latin American urban centers and socioeconomic and environmental determinants measured at the ecological level. Asthma prevalence symptoms were obtained from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) phase III. A hierarchical conceptual framework was defined and the explanatory variables were organized in three levels: distal, intermediate, proximal. Linear regression models weighed by sample size were undertaken between asthma prevalence and the selected variables. Asthma prevalence was positively associated with Gini index, water supply and homicide rate, and inversely associated with the Human Development Index, crowding and adequate sanitation. This study provides evidence of the potential influence of poverty and social inequalities on current wheezing in adolescents in a complex social context like Latin America.

Resumo A prevalência da asma é alta nas áreas urbanas da América Latina, onde as sociedades exibem altos níveis de desigualdade e diferente grau de desenvolvimento. O objetivo é examinar a relação entre a prevalência de sintomas asmáticos em adolescentes de centros urbanos da América Latina e determinantes socioeconômicos e ambientais medidos no nível ecológico. A prevalência de sintomas asmáticos foi obtida do International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), fase III. Foi definido um modelo conceitual hierárquico. As variáveis explicativas foram organizadas em três níveis: distal, intermediário, proximal. Ajustaram-se modelos de regressão lineal ponderados pelo tamanho amostral entre prevalência de sintomas asmáticos e variáveis selecionadas. A prevalência da asma foi associada positivamente com índice de Gini, índice de desenvolvimento humano, subministro de água potável, e inversamente com aglomeração e saneamento. Em conclusão, este estudo ecológico fornece evidência da influência da pobreza e da desigualdade social sobre os sintomas asmáticos em adolescentes em um contexto social complexo como o da América Latina.

Resumen La prevalencia de asma es alta en áreas urbanas de América Latina, cuyas sociedades exhiben altos niveles de desigualdad y diferente grado de desarrollo. El objetivo de este estudio es examinar la relación entre la prevalencia de síntomas asmáticos en adolescentes de centros urbanos de América Latina y determinantes socioeconómicos y ambientales medidos a nivel ecológico. La prevalencia de síntomas asmáticos se obtuvo del International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) fase III. Se definió un modelo conceptual jerárquico. Las variables explicativas se organizaron en tres niveles: distal, intermedio, proximal. Se ajustaron modelos de regresión lineal ponderados por el tamaño de la muestra entre la prevalencia de síntomas asmáticos y las variables seleccionadas. La prevalencia de asma fue asociada positivamente con el índice de Gini, Índice de Desarrollo Humano y suministro de agua, e inversamente con hacinamiento y saneamiento ambiental. En conclusión, este estudio proporciona evidencias de la influencia de la pobreza y de la desigualdad social sobre los síntomas asmáticos en adolescentes en un contexto social complejo como el de América Latina.

Socioeconomic and environmental determinants of adolescent asthma in urban Latin America: an ecological analysis.

The prevalence of asthma is high in urban areas of many Latin-American countries where societies show high levels of inequality and different levels of development. This study aimed to examine the relationship between asthma symptoms prevalence in adolescents living in Latin American urban centers and socioeconomic and environmental determinants measured at the ecological level. Asthma prevalence symptoms were obtained from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) phase III. A hierarchical conceptual framework was defined and the explanatory variables were organized in three levels: distal, intermediate, proximal. Linear regression models weighed by sample size were undertaken between asthma prevalence and the selected variables. Asthma prevalence was positively associated with Gini index, water supply and homicide rate, and inversely associated with the Human Development Index, crowding and adequate sanitation. This study provides evidence of the potential influence of poverty and social inequalities on current wheezing in adolescents in a complex social context like Latin America.