Is Neighborhood Crime Associated with Respiratory Conditions in Mexican American Children?

Background. There is growing evidence that neighborhood-level factors may contribute directly or indirectly to childhood asthma by affecting environmental and lifestyle factors associated with the disease. Exposure to neighborhood crime and violence has been associated with poor health outcomes, especially among underserved and minority populations, and its effect on respiratory health is an area of active research.

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of neighborhood crime on asthma and respiratory conditions among Mexican American children.

Methods. This was a population-based, cross-sectional, multilevel study of 2,023 children of Mexican descent for whom we previously collected information on individual-level characteristics. Validated respiratory outcomes include physician-diagnosed asthma, ever wheeze, and wheeze in the past year. In order to estimate neighborhood-level variables, the addresses of all children were geocoded using Geographic Information Systems. Property and violent crimes were aggregated from publicly available data sources and linked to participant’s residences within ½-mile. Multilevel, multiple logistic regression analysis accounting for clustering within neighborhoods was conducted to estimate the associations between neighborhood crime and respiratory outcomes.

Results. Number of property crimes within ½-mile of residence is positively associated with childhood asthma [odds ratio (OR): 1.28; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.96-1.71; p=0.09) for each one standard deviation increase in property crime] after accounting for covariates. However, this association is of borderline significance. Number of property crimes is not associated with ever wheeze or wheeze in the past year. Number of violent crimes within ½-mile of residence is positively associated, but not significantly, with wheeze in the past year (OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 0.95-2.03; p=0.09; for each one standard deviation increase in violent crime). Number of violent crimes is not associated with childhood asthma or ever wheeze.

Conclusion. These findings suggest that neighborhood-level crime may be positively associated with specific respiratory conditions among Mexican American children. These associations, however, should be interpreted with caution. Additional analyses are needed to further examine the associations presented here in order to provide a more complete understanding of how neighborhood crime and violence may affect respiratory health among Mexican American children.