Tucson epidemiologic study of obstructive lung diseases. II: Effects of in-migration factors on the prevalence of obstructive lung diseases.

The effects of in-migration factors on respiratory symptoms, chronic health problems, and lung function were examined in the stratified Tucson population as part of a longitudinal epidemiologic study of obstructive lung diseases. Migration to the area specifically for health reasons explained part of the high prevalences of disease found in the study. But natives still had higher rates of disease than those found generally in the United States, especially for asthma and allergic rhinitis; It was found that previous urban residence was related to the prevalence of several conditions, even when controlling for age, sex, and smoking habits. However, the trends were not always clear and the differences were not great enough to explain the Tucson population's much higher rates of these conditions than reported nationally or in similar studies elsewhere.