title: The effect of low-cost modification of the home environment on the development of respiratory symptoms in the first year of life.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have suggested that environmental exposures may be related to the development of respiratory symptoms in early life. Intervention studies, however, have not produced consistent findings.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The Peer Education in Pregnancy Study examined the effect of home environment intervention with pregnant women at risk for having children with asthma on the development of respiratory symptoms in their infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 383 pregnant women whose unborn child had a first-degree relative with an allergic history were randomized to 1 of 2 intervention groups, both of whom received general health education, smoking cessation advice, and encouragement to breastfeed. In addition, the intensive education group received 3 home visits focused on home environment modification. Home assessment was performed at baseline and after 1 year of follow-up. Respiratory symptoms were identified during the first year of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Families in both intervention groups showed significant changes in several environmental factors, with significant differences between the 2 groups in insects other than cockroaches, use of mattress covers, and washing in hot water. Children in the intensive education group had slightly lower incidence rates of respiratory symptoms, but few differences were statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study do not provide strong support for a primary intervention focused on general modification of the home environment during pregnancy for high-risk children. It does not address the effects of more aggressive approaches or of interventions targeting individual environmental factors.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. vwpersky@uic.edu
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Persky
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piorkowski
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.forename: Noel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chavez
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wagner-Cassanova
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Freels
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vergara
authors.forename: Darlene
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pelzel
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: Adela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Busso
authors.forename: Lenore
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Coover
authors.forename: Peter S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Thorne
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ownby
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D004522:Educational Status; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000191:economics*; D006798:Housing / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012130:Respiratory Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D004391:Dust