Environmental Determinants of Asthma among School Children Aged 13–14 in and around Polokwane, Limpopo Province, South Africa

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Kidi Rose Maluleke¹ 

[1] Research and Development, South African Social Security Agency, PO Box 54684, Wierdapark 0149, South Africa

关键词: asthma;    cough;    smoke;    flush toilet;    odds ratio;    multi-level analysis;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph6092354

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Asthma has become a public health issue since the 1960’s. Factors associated with asthma are environmental and genetic. This study is based on a random sample of 742 students aged 13–14 attending various schools at Polokwane, in the Province of Limpopo in South Africa. Survey logistic regression and multi-level analyses were used for data analysis. The study identifies three key determinants of asthma at the district, school and individual levels. The study shows that persistent cough (OR = 4.01), exposure to smoke at the household level (OR = 2.39) and lack of access to flush toileta at the household level (OR = 1.89) are key predictors of asthma in children. Variability at the level of districts accounts for 46% of total variance. Variability at the level of schools accounts for 33% of total variance.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2009 by the authors; licensee Molecular Diversity Preservation International, Basel, Switzerland.