HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2004.048967v1 95/8/1375    most recent Submit a response Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (5) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Corvalán, C. Articles by Rona, R. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Corvalán, C. Articles by Rona, R. J. Related Collections Socioeconomic Factors Asthma

Camila Corvalán, MD, MPH, Hugo Amigo, DMD, DrPH, MPH, Patricia Bustos, MD and Roberto J. Rona, MD, FFPH, PhD

At the time of this study, Camila Corvalán was with the Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago. Hugo Amigo and Patricia Bustos are with the Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, University of Chile. Roberto Rona is with the Department of Public Health Sciences, King’s College, London, England.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Roberto J. Rona, Department of Public Health Sciences, King’s College London, 5th Floor, Capital House, 42 Weston St SE1 3QD, UK (e-mail: roberto.rona{at}kcl.ac.uk).

Objectives. We studied the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and asthma symptoms, severity of asthma, atopy, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) to methacholine.

Methods. We studied 1232 men and women born between 1974 and 1978 in a semirural area of Chile. We assessed asthma symptoms with a standardized questionnaire, atopy with a skin-prick test to 8 allergens, and BHR to methacholine with the tidal breathing method. SES was derived from several indicators: education, occupation, completion of a welfare form, belongings, housing, number of siblings, and overcrowding.

Results. Those with fewer belongings had more asthma symptoms. Those who had higher education and those who owned cars had fewer asthma symptoms and BHR. Overcrowding was negatively related to atopy, atopy with asthma symptoms, and BHR. Higher education and noncompletion of a welfare form were risk factors for atopy.

Conclusion. The strength and direction of the association between asthma and SES depended on what definition of asthma was analyzed. Asthma symptoms were more common among poor people. There was some support for the hygiene hypothesis, as overcrowding was associated with less wheezing with atopy, less atopy, and less BHR.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				X. Li, J. Sundquist, and K. Sundquist Socioeconomic and occupational groups and risk of asthma in Sweden Occup. Med., May 1, 2008; 58(3): 161 - 168. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. F. Potts, R. J. Rona, M. J. Oyarzun, H. Amigo, and P. Bustos Indoor Risk Factors for Cough and Their Relation to Wheeze and Sensitization in Chilean Young Adults Am J Public Health, April 1, 2008; 98(4): 680 - 686. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R D Caldeira, H Bettiol, M A Barbieri, J Terra-Filho, C A Garcia, and E O Vianna Prevalence and risk factors for work related asthma in young adults Occup. Environ. Med., October 1, 2006; 63(10): 694 - 699. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. C. Smeeton, R. J. Rona, M. Oyarzun, and P. V. Diaz Agreement between Responses to a Standardized Asthma Questionnaire and a Questionnaire following a Demonstration of Asthma Symptoms in Adults Am. J. Epidemiol., February 15, 2006; 163(4): 384 - 391. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]