Asthma Prevalence and Severity in Arab American Communities in the Detroit Area, Michigan

Immigrant populations provide a unique intersection of cultural and environmental risk factors implicated in asthma etiology. This study focuses on asthma prevalence and severity in 600 Arab American households in metro Detroit, the largest immigrant reception zone for Arab Americans in North America. The survey method introduced a number of novel features: (a) a ranking scheme for the key environmental risk factors for asthma was used to derive an aggregated environmental risk index (ERI) for each household, and (b) an aggregate measure of asthma severity based on symptom frequency and intensity. Environmental risk factors and surrogates for socioeconomic status (SES) were found to be stronger predictors of asthma prevalence than asthma severity, while demographic variables such as English fluency and birth in the United States were better predictors of asthma severity than asthma prevalence. These results suggest that SES variables may be more reflective of environmental exposures in communities involved in this study, while English fluency and birth in the United States may be linked to health care access and utilization behavior that can influence the asthma management. We also found a significant relationship between asthma prevalence and degree of acculturation. Asthma prevalence was highest among moderately acculturated immigrants compared with new immigrants and those who were well acculturated, suggesting that among Arab Americans in the Detroit area, risk factors associated with new immigrant status are replaced by “western” risk factors as the population becomes more acculturated.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44945/1/10903_2005_Article_3673.pd

Work-related respiratory symptoms in New Zealand farmers.

BACKGROUND: The first national survey of the respiratory health of New Zealand farmers looked at the prevalence of respiratory symptoms by farm type and work exposure. METHODS: An 8-page questionnaire was mailed to 2,203 farmers randomly selected from all over New Zealand. RESULTS: Response rate was 77.6% of 2,203, or 1,706 participants. Breathing problems at work were reported by 17.6% of farmers. Working with oats was strongly associated with work-related breathing problems (OR = 3.3, 2.1-5.2). Dyspnea was more common in female farmers, whereas chronic bronchitis was higher in males. Orchardists (OR = 2.3, 1.3-4.0), those growing oat crops (OR = 3.0, 1.7-5.4) and using the grain mill (OR = 2.8, 1.3-6.3) reported the highest symptom rates of ODTS/FL. Having hay fever or eczema, and smoking were risk factors for all respiratory symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Working in the areas of pigs, poultry, horses, grains, and hay are associated with respiratory symptoms in New Zealand farmers