Socioeconomic risk factors for asthma in Chilean young adults.
OBJECTIVE
We studied the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and asthma symptoms, severity of asthma, atopy, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) to methacholine.


METHODS
We studied 1232 men and women born between 1974 and 1978 in a semirural area of Chile. We assessed asthma symptoms with a standardized questionnaire, atopy with a skin-prick test to 8 allergens, and BHR to methacholine with the tidal breathing method. SES was derived from several indicators: education, occupation, completion of a welfare form, belongings, housing, number of siblings, and overcrowding.


RESULTS
Those with fewer belongings had more asthma symptoms. Those who had higher education and those who owned cars had fewer asthma symptoms and BHR. Overcrowding was negatively related to atopy, atopy with asthma symptoms, and BHR. Higher education and noncompletion of a welfare form were risk factors for atopy.


CONCLUSIONS
The strength and direction of the association between asthma and SES depended on what definition of asthma was analyzed. Asthma symptoms were more common among poor people. There was some support for the hygiene hypothesis, as overcrowding was associated with less wheezing with atopy, less atopy, and less BHR.
Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago.
Camila
C
Corvalán
Hugo
H
Amigo
Patricia
P
Bustos
Roberto J
RJ
Rona
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D015995:Prevalence; D012135:Respiratory Sounds; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D016210:Methacholine Chloride