Impact of traffic flow on the asthma prevalence among school children in Lima, Peru.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the impact of traffic flow on the prevalence of asthma among school children of 6 to 7 and 13 to 14-years of age.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study consisting of 5,917 children selected in schools of the Cone Norte of Lima, Peru.


RESULTS
For the 6- to 7-year age group the prevalence of medical diagnosis of asthma according to the traffic flow index was 8.6% (CI: 6.8-10.8), 10.3% (CI: 8.4-12.4), and 15.3% (CI:13.3-17.5) at low, medium and high, respectively, and for the 13- to 14-year age group, 11.9% (CI: 9.4-14.6), 13.3% (CI: 11.6-15.2), and 17.1% (CI: 14.7-19.6).


CONCLUSIONS
For both groups, the prevalence of asthma was significantly related to traffic flow density.
Carbajal-Arroyo
Luz
L
Departamento de Estadística, Demografía, Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú.
Barraza-Villarreal
Albino
A
Durand-Pardo
Rubén
R
Moreno-Macías
Hortensia
H
Espinoza-Laín
Rocío
R
Chiarella-Ortigosa
Pascual
P
Romieu
Isabelle
I
D000293:Adolescent; D000397:Air Pollution; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012135:Respiratory Sounds; D012574:Schools; D014505:Urban Population; D001335:Vehicle Emissions
D001335:Vehicle Emissions