Abstract
Both allergic and non-allergic asthma phenotypes are thought to vary by specific housing and other indoor environmental conditions. This study evaluated risk factors for allergic asthma phenotypes in First Nation children, an understudied Canadian population with recognized increased respiratory morbidity. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with a clinical component to assess the respiratory health of 351 school-age children living on two rural reserve communities. Asthma was defined as parental report of physician diagnosed asthma or a report of wheeze in the past 12 months. Atopy was determined by a ≥ 3-mm wheal response to any of six respiratory allergens upon skin prick testing (SPT). Important domestic and personal characteristics evaluated included damp housing conditions, household heating, respiratory infections and passive smoking exposure. Asthma and atopy prevalence were 17.4% and 17.1%, respectively. Of those with asthma, 21.1% were atopic. We performed multivariate multinomial logistic regression modelling with three outcomes: non-atopic asthma, atopic asthma and no asthma for 280 children who underwent SPT. After adjusting for potential confounders, children with atopic asthma were more likely to be obese and to live in homes with either damage due to dampness (p < 0.05) or signs of mildew/mold (p = 0.06). Both natural gas home heating and a history of respiratory related infections were associated with non-atopic asthma (p < 0.01). Domestic risk factors for asthma appear to vary by atopic status in First Nations children. Determining asthma phenotypes could be useful in environmental management of asthma in this population.
Highlights
Aboriginal peoples, including First Nations, Inuit and Metis groups, represent 2.6% of the Canadian population and, of these, 60.8% are First Nation [1]
The burden of asthma is higher in Aboriginal child populations compared to same age and sex non-Aboriginal populations, the prevalence of asthma (9.5 to 14.6%) is similar [4,5,6], with household factors playing a role in disease manifestation [4,7,8]
We found no differences in demographic factors or housing characteristics between those who underwent skin prick testing (SPT) and those who did not
Summary
Aboriginal peoples, including First Nations, Inuit and Metis groups, represent 2.6% of the Canadian population and, of these, 60.8% are First Nation [1]. Unlike their non-Aboriginal counterparts, Aboriginal children make up a disproportionally larger percentage of their population While respiratory disease, including asthma, is a major cause of illness for Canadian Aboriginal children [7], there is limited understanding of the role of atopy in asthma prevalence [6,9] within this population. Major environmental factors known to be associated with childhood asthma can be allergenic or non-allergenic in origin [10]. While a history of parental atopic disease is associated with both non-atopic and atopic childhood phenotypes of asthma [12], environmental exposures seem to vary by asthma allergic phenotype [12,13]
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