Multiple urban and asthma-related risks and their association with asthma morbidity in children.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether a multi-dimensional cumulative risk index (CRI) is a stronger predictor of asthma morbidity in urban, school-aged children with asthma, than poverty or severity alone.


METHODS
A total of 163 children with asthma, ages 7-15 years (42% female; 69% ethnic minority) and their primary caregivers completed interview-based questionnaires, focusing on potential cultural, contextual, and asthma-specific risks that can impact asthma morbidity.


RESULTS
Higher levels of cumulative risks were associated with more asthma morbidity, after controlling for poverty level or asthma severity. Analyses by ethnic group and subgroup also supported the relationship between the CRI and specific indices of asthma morbidity.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates the utility of multiple-dimensional risk models for predicting variations in asthma morbidity in urban children. Research efforts with urban families who have children with asthma need to consider the context of urban poverty as it relates to children's cultural backgrounds and specific asthma outcomes.
Koinis-Mitchell
Daphne
D
Child and Family Psychiatry, Bradley/Hasbro Research Center, Brown Medical School, 1 Hoppin Street, Coro West, 2nd Floor, Providence, RI 02903, USA. Daphne_Koinis-Mitchell@Brown.edu
McQuaid
Elizabeth L
EL
Seifer
Ronald
R
Kopel
Sheryl J
SJ
Esteban
Cynthia
C
Canino
Glorisa
G
Garcia-Coll
Cynthia
C
Klein
Robert
R
Fritz
Gregory K
GK
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D003710:Demography; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*