Ruchi S Gupta1, Victoria Rivkina2, Lilliana DeSantiago-Cardenas3, Bridget Smith4, Blair Harvey-Gintoft3, Stephanie A Whyte3. 1. Center for Community Health, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; r-gupta@northwestern.edu. 2. Center for Community Health, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Office of Student Health and Wellness, Chicago Public Schools, Chicago, Illinois; and. 3. Office of Student Health and Wellness, Chicago Public Schools, Chicago, Illinois; and. 4. Center for Community Health, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) QUERI and Center for Management of Complex Chronic Care, Edward J. Hines Jr. Veterans Affairs Hospital, Chicago, Illinois.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to characterize asthma and food allergy reporting and management in Chicago Public Schools. METHODS: Demographic and health data for students who have asthma and food allergy were extracted from the Chicago Public Schools database. Demographic and geographic variability and the existence of school health management plans were analyzed, and multiple logistic regression models were computed. Home addresses were geocoded to create maps of case counts per community area. RESULTS: Approximately 18,000 asthmatic and 4000 food allergic students were identified. Of asthmatic students, 9.3% had a food allergy; of food allergic students, 40.1% had asthma. Asthma odds were significantly higher among black and Hispanic students (odds ratio [OR] = 2.3 and 1.3, respectively), whereas food allergy odds were significantly higher among black students (OR = 1.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-1.3) and significantly lower among Hispanic students (OR = 0.8; 95% CI, 0.7-0.9). Only 24.3% of students who had asthma and 50.9% of students who had food allergy had a school health management plan on file. Odds of having a school health management plan were significantly higher among students with both conditions, but the likelihood of having a plan on file was significantly lower among racial/ethnic minority and low-income students, regardless of medical condition. CONCLUSIONS: Only 1 in 4 students who have asthma and half of food allergic students have health management plans in schools, with lower numbers among minority and low-income students. Improving chronic disease reporting and access to school health management plans is critical.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to characterize asthma and food allergy reporting and management in Chicago Public Schools. METHODS: Demographic and health data for students who have asthma and food allergy were extracted from the Chicago Public Schools database. Demographic and geographic variability and the existence of school health management plans were analyzed, and multiple logistic regression models were computed. Home addresses were geocoded to create maps of case counts per community area. RESULTS: Approximately 18,000 asthmatic and 4000 food allergic students were identified. Of asthmatic students, 9.3% had a food allergy; of food allergic students, 40.1% had asthma. Asthma odds were significantly higher among black and Hispanic students (odds ratio [OR] = 2.3 and 1.3, respectively), whereas food allergy odds were significantly higher among black students (OR = 1.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-1.3) and significantly lower among Hispanic students (OR = 0.8; 95% CI, 0.7-0.9). Only 24.3% of students who had asthma and 50.9% of students who had food allergy had a school health management plan on file. Odds of having a school health management plan were significantly higher among students with both conditions, but the likelihood of having a plan on file was significantly lower among racial/ethnic minority and low-income students, regardless of medical condition. CONCLUSIONS: Only 1 in 4 students who have asthma and half of food allergic students have health management plans in schools, with lower numbers among minority and low-income students. Improving chronic disease reporting and access to school health management plans is critical.
Authors: Molly A Martin; Oksana Pugach; Giselle Mosnaim; Sally Weinstein; Genesis Rosales; Angkana Roy; Andrea A Pappalardo; Surrey Walton Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2021-06-10 Impact factor: 11.561
Authors: Dannielle Brown; Olivia Negris; Ruchi Gupta; Linda Herbert; Lisa Lombard; Alexandria Bozen; Amal Assa'ad; Annika Chura; Aame B Andy-Nweye; Susan Fox; Mahboobeh Mahdavinia; Mary Tobin; Adam Robinson; Hemant Sharma; Amaziah Coleman; Jialing Jiang; Lucy Bilaver; Jamie L Fierstein; Isabel Galic; Pamela Newmark; Jacqueline A Pongracic; Andrea A Pappalardo; Christopher Warren Journal: Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol Date: 2020-11-04 Impact factor: 6.347
Authors: Victoria Rivkina; David E Tapke; Lilliana D Cardenas; Blair Harvey-Gintoft; Stephanie A Whyte; Ruchi S Gupta Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2014-12-06 Impact factor: 3.295