A comparison of the respiratory health of Mexican-American and non-Mexican-American white children.

This study compares the respiratory health of Mexican-American and non-Mexican-American white school children. Using responses to questionnaires, the point prevalences of physician-confirmed asthma, attacks of shortness of breath with wheeze (without a diagnosis of asthma), and cough were compiled for each ethnic group. Using the results of yearly pulmonary function testing, initial and serial pulmonary function were also calculated. Asthma was reported by 6.5 percent of the non-Mexican-American children and 1.9 percent of the Mexican-American subjects (p less than 0.01 by chi 2). The rates of respiratory symptoms were nearly equal in the two groups. Initial and serial testing of pulmonary function showed non-Mexican-American children had significantly lower maximum expiratory flows (Vmax50%) in each year of testing. These results confirm other reports of differences in both rates of asthma and pulmonary function in Mexican-Americans and non-Mexican-Americans. Inherent differences in the size of the airways could explain these findings.