title: Community violence and asthma morbidity: the Inner-City Asthma Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the association between exposure to violence and asthma among urban children.
  
  
  METHODS
  We obtained reports from caretakers (n = 851) of violence, negative life events, unwanted memories (rumination), caretaker-perceived stress, and caretaker behaviors (keeping children indoors, smoking, and medication adherence). Outcomes included caretaker-reported wheezing, sleep disruption, interference with play because of asthma, and effects on the caretaker (nights caretaker lost sleep because of child's asthma).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased exposure to violence predicted higher number of symptom days (P =.0008) and more nights that caretakers lost sleep (P =.02) in a graded fashion after control for socioeconomic status, housing deterioration, and negative life events. Control for stress and behaviors partially attenuated this gradient, although these variables had little effect on the association between the highest level of exposure to morbidity, which suggests there are other mechanisms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mechanisms linking violence and asthma morbidity need to be further explored.
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, and the Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. rosalind.wright@channing.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Rosalind J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Cynthia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Visness
authors.forename: Sheldon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stout
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Diane R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Gold
mesh_terms: D001130:Arizona / Q000453:epidemiology; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001900:Boston / Q000453:epidemiology; D002641:Chicago / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D009017:Morbidity; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology