%0 Journal Article
%T Influencia del nivel socioecon¨®mico (NSE) en el asma bronquial y cambios en su prevalencia en poblaci¨®n escolar en un periodo de 6 a os Changes in asthma prevalence among school children during a 6 -year period: Influence of socioeconomic status
%A Gonzalo Valdivia C
%A Solange Caussade L
%A H¨¦ctor Navarro M
%A Jaime Cerda L
%J Revista m¨¦dica de Chile
%D 2009
%I Sociedad M¨¦dica de Santiago
%X Background: Asthma prevalence is increasing worldwide, especially in developing countries. Aim: To determine the prevalence of asthma diagnosis and related symptoms in children, its changes during a 6-year period and the in¨ªluence exerted by socioeconomic status. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study conducted among school children of Santiago. A sample of 4,561 children aged 6-7 and 13-14 years attending public schools (central district, medium-low and low socioeconomic status) and pr¨ªvate schools (eastern distr¨ªcts, high socioecomic status) were surveyed. Dependent variables were asthma diagnosis (AD), wheezing dur¨ªng the last 12 months (WHE12) and frequency of episodes of wheezing (FEW). Prevalence odds ratios were calculated using regression models, adjusted for several confounding variables. Results: AD prevalence for the group as a whole was higher in boys than in girls (13.2% and 10.8%, respectively p =0.016). Prevalence rate of AD was also higher for children aged 13-14 than 6-7 years (13.8% and 10.1%, respectively p <0.01). An inverse association was found between SES and WHE12. Higher maternal education level was associated with lower prevalence of WHE12 in both age groups and with lower prevalence of FEW in 6-7 year-old children. Paternal education level was positively associated with AD among younger children. At the central district, increasing trends of WHE12 and FEW prevalence were observed during 1994-2000 among 6-7years children. Conclusions: A significant association was observed between socioeconomic status, asthma diagnosis and symptoms in school children living in Santiago. Data support an increasing trend of asthma prevalence and sever¨ªty among 6-7 year-old children during the period 1994-2000.
%K Asthma
%K Children
%K Socioeconomic factors
%U http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-98872009000200005