Is childhood asthma associated with educational level and longest-held occupation?
Children with asthma can experience chronic morbidity that may interfere with education and career progression. The authors investigated retrospectively whether a history of childhood asthma is associated with educational level and longest-held occupation, by gender. Cross-sectional analysis included a nationally representative sample of 10,452 adults aged ≥20 years who participated in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-2004). Logistic regression was used to assess associations between a childhood-asthma history and educational level, employment, and longest-held occupation. An estimated 6.9% of men and 5.8% of women had a childhood-asthma history. Persons with a childhood-asthma history tended to have a higher educational level than those with no asthma history. Among those who ever worked, and after adjustment for age and race/ethnicity, men with a childhood-asthma history were more likely to work in health-diagnosing occupations, other professional occupations, and as cooks; women with a childhood-asthma history were more likely to work in management-related, entertainment-related, and health service occupations. Compared with those with no asthma history, persons with a childhood-asthma history tended to achieve a higher educational level and, if they worked, were more likely to work in particular occupations.
Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, USA. jmazurek1@cdc.gov
Jacek M
JM
Mazurek
Patricia L
PL
Schleiff
Paul K
PK
Henneberger
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology; D002321:Career Choice; D002322:Career Mobility; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012923:Social Class; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology