The associations between victimization, feeling unsafe, and asthma episodes among US high-school students.
We examined the associations between victimization, missed school because of feeling unsafe, and asthma episodes among US high-school students using the 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Cross-sectional analyses on adolescents with asthma (n=1943) showed that any victimization and missed school because of feeling unsafe significantly increased the odds of having an asthma episode in the past year (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07, 1.95 and adjusted OR = 2.93; 95% CI = 1.90, 4.53, respectively). Victimization and feeling unsafe are important but poorly understood risk factors for asthma.
Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Mail Stop K-50, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724, USA. mswahn@cdc.gov
Monica H
MH
Swahn
Robert M
RM
Bossarte
D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012449:Safety / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence