ASTHMA IN JEMEZ PUEBLO SCHOOLCHILDREN

Asthma, a major chronic health problem of children, has received littl e investigation in Native Americans. We conducted a survey of asthma i n children of Jemez Pueblo, Jemez, New Mexico, in response to concerns of the community and health care providers about the frequency of ast hma. In collaboration with Jemez Pueblo, we developed a standardized q uestionnaire and administered it to parents of 318 children aged 3 to 13 years. Parents reported that 12.3% had been diagnosed as having ast hma or reactive airway disease by a physician or other health care pra ctitioner. Asthma was reported as still active at the time of the inte rview for 55% of those subjects. The study showed that asthma was not uncommon among the Jemez Pueblo children and, in fact, was more common than in recent nationwide surveys.