Salam MT, Li Y-F, Langholz B, Gilliland FD. 2004.
Early Life Environmental Risk Factors for Asthma: Findings from the Children's Health Study.
Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP), 112 (6): 760-765.
This paper reported on an doctor-diagnosed asthma prevalence case-control study, which was nested within the larger USC Children's Health Study in 12 Southern CA communities, to examine the impact of the timing of different environmental exposures before age 5. Control children had no asthma at the start of the study and were matched to asthmatic children on age, gender, community of residence, and in utero exposure to maternal smoking. Data were collected using telephone interviews with the mothers.
There were several statistically significant findings, but 95% confidence intervals were relatively wide and exposure metrics were qualitative so cautious interpretation is warranted. (NOTE: please see CAFA Supplemental Data User Guideline No. 1, What are Confidence Intervals, by Dr. Eric M. Roberts, August 2003.) For example, doctor-diagnosed asthma before age 5 was associated with day care attendance before four months or after 12 months of age as well as with exposure before age 1 and in later years to known asthma triggers like cockroaches, and to pesticides (present and/or previously used inside and/or outside homes and on farms). Please note again, however, the exposure metrics in this study were not quantitative and also were not time-specific. |
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