Predictors of Asthma Severity in Latino Children in the United States

Asthma is one of the most frequent diseases worldwide. Asthma incidence in the United States (US) is still increasing and the greater increased is among children. Asthma disproportionately affects low income populations and ethnic minorities; there is a high correlation between severity and mortality among these populations. Asthma is the most common chronic illness affecting Latino children in the US. A cross-sectional study was conducted to identify and assess predictors for severe asthma in Latino Children as defined by having an overnight hospitalization in the previous year. Data from the “State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey” of the National Center for Health Statistics was used after sampling weights were applied during the analysis. Data was analyzed by comparing children with severe asthma with those with non-severe asthma using the SAS procedure survey logistic (9.13). The multiple logistic regression adjusted Odds Ratio (OR) was used to assess the association of each predictor with severe asthma adjusting for all confounders simultaneously. Interaction and confounding effects with ethnicity were evaluated for each predictor. Hispanic children were 1.4 to 2.3 times more likely to have severe asthma than non-Hispanic children (OR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.4, 2.3). Selected predictors of this disparity were studied such as family history, place of birth, age, gender, attending day-care center, indoor household conditions, and selected daily activities. Results may be used to identify predictors of severe asthma disparities between ethnicities to focus control interventions and identify high risk groups among Latino Children.