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. 2004 Apr;94(4):625-32.
doi: 10.2105/ajph.94.4.625.

Community violence and asthma morbidity: the Inner-City Asthma Study

Rosalind J Wright  1 , Herman Mitchell, Cynthia M Visness, Sheldon Cohen, James Stout, Richard Evans, Diane R Gold
Affiliations

Community violence and asthma morbidity: the Inner-City Asthma Study

Rosalind J Wright et al. Am J Public Health. 2004 Apr.

Abstract

Objectives: We examined the association between exposure to violence and asthma among urban children.

Methods: We obtained reports from caretakers (n = 851) of violence, negative life events, unwanted memories (rumination), caretaker-perceived stress, and caretaker behaviors (keeping children indoors, smoking, and medication adherence). Outcomes included caretaker-reported wheezing, sleep disruption, interference with play because of asthma, and effects on the caretaker (nights caretaker lost sleep because of child's asthma).

Results: Increased exposure to violence predicted higher number of symptom days (P =.0008) and more nights that caretakers lost sleep (P =.02) in a graded fashion after control for socioeconomic status, housing deterioration, and negative life events. Control for stress and behaviors partially attenuated this gradient, although these variables had little effect on the association between the highest level of exposure to morbidity, which suggests there are other mechanisms.

Conclusions: Mechanisms linking violence and asthma morbidity need to be further explored.

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Figures

FIGURE 1—
FIGURE 1—
Mean (a) maximum symptom days and (b) nights caretaker lost sleep, by level of adult exposure to violence: adjusted analyses. Note. Behaviors = caretaker behaviors, including smoking, keeping children indoors, and skipping medications. Stress = Perceived Stress Scale and unwanted thoughts and memories. Each set of bars represents mean maximum symptom days (or nights caretaker lost sleep) adjusted for control variables. All models are adjusted for site, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES) in addition to listed variates. Ps are for trends. aSES includes adjustment for household income, employment, caretaker education, and housing deterioration.
FIGURE 1—
FIGURE 1—
Mean (a) maximum symptom days and (b) nights caretaker lost sleep, by level of adult exposure to violence: adjusted analyses. Note. Behaviors = caretaker behaviors, including smoking, keeping children indoors, and skipping medications. Stress = Perceived Stress Scale and unwanted thoughts and memories. Each set of bars represents mean maximum symptom days (or nights caretaker lost sleep) adjusted for control variables. All models are adjusted for site, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES) in addition to listed variates. Ps are for trends. aSES includes adjustment for household income, employment, caretaker education, and housing deterioration.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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