Asthma in young south Asian women living in the United Kingdom: the importance of early life

Summary Background Studies of immigrants suggest that the environment during fetal life and duration of residence in the host country might influence the development of asthma. Little is known about the importance of the timing of the exposure in the host country and whether migrants might be especi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Clinical and experimental allergy 2007-01, Vol.37 (1), p.47-53
Main Authors: Kuehni, C. E., Strippoli, M-P. F., Low, N., Silverman, M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Age Factors
Allergic diseases
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
asthma
Asthma - epidemiology
Asthma - ethnology
Bangladesh - ethnology
Biological and medical sciences
Diet
Emigration and Immigration
environment
epidemiology
ethnic groups
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Fundamental immunology
Humans
Immunopathology
Incidence
India - ethnology
Logistic Models
Medical sciences
Pakistan - ethnology
Population Surveillance
risk factors
Smoking
Social Class
Surveys and Questionnaires
United Kingdom
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Summary:Summary Background Studies of immigrants suggest that the environment during fetal life and duration of residence in the host country might influence the development of asthma. Little is known about the importance of the timing of the exposure in the host country and whether migrants might be especially vulnerable in certain age windows. Objective We compared the reported prevalence of asthma between young white and south Asian women in the United Kingdom, and investigated associations with country of birth and age at immigration. Methods A questionnaire on atopic disorders was posted to 2380 south Asian and 5796 white young mothers randomly sampled in Leicestershire. Data on ethnicity were also available from maternity records. Data were analysed using multivariable logistic regression and a propensity score approach. Results The reported prevalence of asthma was 10.9% in south Asian and 21.8% in white women. South Asian women who migrated to the United Kingdom aged 5 years or older reported less asthma (6.5%) than those born in the United Kingdom or who migrated before age 5 (16.0%), with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.38 [95% Confidence Interval 0.23–0.64, P
ISSN:0954-7894
1365-2222
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2222.2006.02627.x