Emmanuel Aryee1, James M Perrin2, Dorothea Iannuzzi3, Karen A Kuhlthau2, Nicolas M Oreskovic2. 1. MassGeneral Hospital for Children, (E Aryee, J M Perrin, KA Kuhlthau, NM Oreskovic) Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Electronic address: earyee@mgh.harvard.edu. 2. MassGeneral Hospital for Children, (E Aryee, J M Perrin, KA Kuhlthau, NM Oreskovic) Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Pediatrics (JM Perrin, KA Kuhlthau, NM Oreskovic), Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 3. Brigham and Women's Hospital (D Iannuzzi), Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between neighborhood characteristics and asthma prevalence and severity among low-income children in a large nationally representative sample. METHODS: Data source: 2018 National Survey of Children's Health, limited to low-income children, ages 0-17 years. We grouped parent responses about neighborhood characteristics into 5 scores: neighborhood support, safety, resources and quality, and a total score. Logistic regression compared rates and severity of asthma by neighborhood scores, adjusting for age, sex, race, and income. RESULTS: Of 8,653 low-income children, those living in neighborhoods with better total neighborhood scores were significantly less likely to have parent-reported asthma; OR = 0.9, 95% CI: 0.8-1.0; P = .02, with similar findings for children living in neighborhoods with higher support, safety, and quality scores. We found no associations between neighborhood scores and asthma severity in this population. CONCLUSIONS: Favorable neighborhoods are associated with lower parent-reported asthma prevalence in low-income children but not asthma severity. These data may support providers and policy makers interested in child asthma in addressing neighborhood improvement.
OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between neighborhood characteristics and asthma prevalence and severity among low-income children in a large nationally representative sample. METHODS: Data source: 2018 National Survey of Children's Health, limited to low-income children, ages 0-17 years. We grouped parent responses about neighborhood characteristics into 5 scores: neighborhood support, safety, resources and quality, and a total score. Logistic regression compared rates and severity of asthma by neighborhood scores, adjusting for age, sex, race, and income. RESULTS: Of 8,653 low-income children, those living in neighborhoods with better total neighborhood scores were significantly less likely to have parent-reported asthma; OR = 0.9, 95% CI: 0.8-1.0; P = .02, with similar findings for children living in neighborhoods with higher support, safety, and quality scores. We found no associations between neighborhood scores and asthma severity in this population. CONCLUSIONS: Favorable neighborhoods are associated with lower parent-reported asthma prevalence in low-income children but not asthma severity. These data may support providers and policy makers interested in child asthma in addressing neighborhood improvement.