Open AccessA case‐control study of risk factors for asthma in New Zealand children
Author(s) -
Wickens Kristin,
Crane Julian,
Kemp Trudi,
Lewis Simon,
D'Souza Wendyl,
Sawyer Gillian,
Stone Louise,
Tohill Sarah,
Kennedy Jo,
Slater Tania,
Rains Natalie,
Pearce Neil
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.946
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1753-6405
pISSN - 1326-0200
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-842x.2001.tb00549.x
Subject(s) - asthma , medicine , vaccination , measles , pediatrics , allergy , confounding , rubella , case control study , immunology
Objective: As in other English‐speaking countries, asthma is a major and increasing health problem in New Zealand. This study examined the risk factors for asthma in children aged 7–9.Methods: Cases and controls were randomly selected from participants in the Wellington arm of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). Cases were children with a previous diagnosis of asthma and current medication use (n=233), and controls were children with no history of wheezing and no diagnosis of asthma (n=241).Results: After controlling for confounders, factors significantly associated with asthma were maternal (OR=3.36, 95% Cl 1.88–5.99) and paternal asthma (OR=2.67, 95% Cl 1.42–5.02), and male sex (OR=1.81, 95% Cl 1.17–2.81). Children from social classes 5 and 6 or with unemployed parents (OR=2.32, 95% Cl 1.22–4.44) were significantly more likely to have asthma than children in social classes 1 and 2. There was no significant association between having polio vaccination (OR=2.48, 95% Cl 0.83–7.41), hepatitis B vaccination (OR=0.66, 95% Cl 0.42–1.04) or measles/mumps/rubella vaccination (OR=1.43, 95% Cl 0.85–2.41) and asthma.Conclusions: This study has confirmed the associations of family history and lower socio‐economic status with current asthma in 7–9 year old children. The role of vaccinations requires further research.