title: Plastic wall materials in the home and respiratory health in young children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The relation between the presence of plastic wall materials in the home and respiratory health in children was assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  This population-based cross-sectional study involved 2568 Finnish children aged 1 to 7 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In logistic regression models, lower respiratory tract symptoms--persistent wheezing (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 3.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.13, 10.36), cough (OR = 2.41, 95% CI = 1.04, 5.63), and phlegm (OR = 2.76, 95% CI = 1.03, 7.41)--were strongly related to the presence of plastic wall materials, whereas upper respiratory symptoms were not. The risk of asthma (OR = 1.52, 95% CI = 0.35, 6.71) and pneumonia (OR = 1.81, 95% CI = 0.62, 5.29) was also increased in children exposed to such materials.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Emissions from plastic materials indoors may have adverse effects on the lower respiratory tracts of small children.
authors.affiliation: Nordic School of Public Health, Göteborg, Sweden. jouni.jaakkola@nhv.se
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Jaakkola
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Verkasalo
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jaakkola
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003252:Construction Materials / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016015:Logistic Models; D010969:Plastics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics