|
|
|
|
|
Eileen Storey, MD, MPH1, Mark Cullen, MD2, Nadine Schwab, RN, MPH, PNP3, Nancy Alderman, MES4, Nancy Simcox, MS1, and Paula Schenck, MPH5. (1) Center for Indoor Environments and Health/Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-6210, 860-679-2386, storey@nso.uchc.edu, (2) Occupational Medicine, Yale University, 135 College Street, New Haven, CT 06510, (3) Scwab and Associates, 1191 Ridge Road, North Haven, CT 06473, (4) Environment and Human Health, Inc, 1191 Ridge Road, North Haven, CT 06473, (5) Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-6210
Asthma affects growing numbers of children throughout the United States. Surveillance systems fail to describe the distribution of asthma at the local level. School nurses provide an opportunity to track chronic diseases among children because they provide care to whole school communities. We report on a survey of school nurses responsible for children in grades Kindergarten through Five in public and private schools in Connecticut. They provided information on the number of children in their school(s) with diagnosed asthma. They also answered questions regarding building characteristics and activities which may contribute to asthma.
More than 80% of eligible schools participated in the study. On average, 9.7% of children in grades K-5 in Connecticut have asthma. Children in urban areas have higher rates (13.1% in large cities) than in rural areas (8.8%). However, socioeconomic status influences rates as well, such that one of the poor rural counties has a rate of 12%.
Factors such as water incursion, presence of immovable carpets, cockroach and rodent infestation, building renovations during occupancy, and idling buses near the school were reported to be common in elementary schools. A nested case control study of schools with the highest asthma rates and schools with lower rates suggested that higher asthma rates occurred in schools located into or below a hill; with flat roof construction, roof leaks, fixed carpets, cockroaches, or renovations during occupancy. These differences appeared to be significant for two or more roof leaks and for the presence of fixed carpets in all classrooms.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Asthma, Surveillance
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Environment and Human Health, Inc.(EHHI)I have a significant financial affiliation with EHHI, having received funding from them to conduct the above study.