title: Prevalence and associated factors for asthma in Brazilian and Japanese schoolchildren living in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ethnic background interferes on the prevalence of asthma among schoolchildren (4 to 9 years old, SC) born and living in São Paulo, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC)'s written standard and complementary questionnaires were applied to SC (similar socioeconomic status) living in the city of São Paulo: no-Japanese Brazilian (NJB, N = 306) and Japanese Brazilian (third generation, born in Brazil, from Japanese families with no miscegenation, JB, N = 258).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of current asthma was significantly higher among NJB in comparison to JB (22.2% vs 14.7%, respectively). To have rhinitis and to exercise less than once/week were risk factors for both groups of children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although both groups were apparently exposed to the same environment, other cultural differences do not allow us to conclude about the ethnic component having greater influence than the environment in the development of asthma in these individuals.
authors.affiliation: University of Santo Amaro and Division of Allergy, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Dept of Pediatrics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Federal University of São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP).
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Camelo-Nunes
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, ABC's Faculty of Medicine and Division of Allergy, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Dept of Pediatrics (EPM-UNIFESP).
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carvalho Mallozi
authors.affiliation: Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE) and Respiratory Physiotherapist, Division of Allergy, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Dept of Pediatrics, EPM-UNIFESP.
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Lanza
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Dept of Pediatrics, EPM-UNIFESP. Phone/Fax: +55 11 5579 15 90 E-mail: alergia.imunologiareumatologia@unifesp.br, dirceu.sole@unifesp.br.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Solé
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D044466:Asian People; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health
keywords: asthma; children; epidemiology; risk factors; written questionnaire