title: Indoor environmental factors associated with wheezing illness and asthma in South Korean children: phase III of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The relationship between exposure to indoor environmental pollutants and incidence of asthma and wheezing illness in children is unclear. This study aimed to clarify this relationship by identifying the risk factors associated with these conditions in South Korean children aged 6-7 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The parents or guardians of 3810 children aged 6-7 years who had participated in the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood and met the study criteria completed validated questionnaires regarding their children's asthma and wheezing illness, risk factors and exposure to indoor pollutants. The data were subjected to chi-square and multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify the factors significantly associated with asthma and wheezing illness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parental history of allergic disease (odds ratio [OR]: 1.729; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.447-2.066), living on the basement or semi-basement floor (OR: 1.891; 95% CI: 1.194-2.996) and living in housing that had been remodeled within the last 12 months (OR: 1.376; 95% CI: 1.101-1.720) were found to be significantly associated with wheezing illness. Parental history of allergic disease (OR: 2.189; 95% CI: 1.483-3.231), male sex (OR: 1.971; 95% CI: 1.369-2.838) and positive skin prick test (SPT) result (OR: 1.583; 95% CI: 1.804-3.698) were found to be significantly associated with current asthma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the risk factors for current asthma appear to be more related to the non-modifiable risk factors like sex, parental history of allergic diseases, SPT, the two groups are associated with exposure to modifiable indoor environmental factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Dankook University Hospital , Chenonan , Korea .
authors.forename: Yoomi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Myung-Il
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Hahm
authors.forename: Kangmo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Jihyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Woo Kyung
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: So-Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yong Mean
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Man Yong
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Kee-Jae
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ho-Jang
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012882:Skin Tests; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants
keywords: Asthma; International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood; South Korea; indoor environmental factors; wheezing illness