INDOOR RISK-FACTORS FOR ASTHMA AND WHEEZING AMONG SEATTLE SCHOOL-CHILDREN

Indoor risk factors for physician-diagnosed asthma and wheezing in the past 12 months without previous asthma diagnosis were assessed in a s urvey of parents of 5-9-year-old Seattle primary school students. Amon g the 925 respondents, 106 (11%) reported a physician diagnosis of ast hma, 66 (7%) had wheezing without diagnosis, and 753 (82%) were asympt omatic. After adjusting for age, sex, gender, ethnicity, medical histo ry, socioeconomic status (SES) and parental asthma status, an increase d risk of physician diagnosis of asthma was associated with household water damage, the presence of one or more household tobacco smokers, a nd at least occasional environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure. Sim ilarly, an increased risk of wheezing in the past 12 months among chil dren without diagnosed asthma was associated with household water dama ge, presence of one or more household tobacco smokers, and occasional or more frequent ETS exposure. No increased risk of either condition w as associated with gas, wood, or kerosene stove use, household mold, b asement water, or wall/window dampness. Similarities in the indoor ris k factors patterns between diagnosed asthma and wheezing without diagn osis suggested a similar etiology of these two conditions. The slightl y higher association between ETS and asthma may indicate that parents of diagnosed asthmatics were more conscious of ETS, and were more like ly to prohibit household smoking by resident smokers. Future research is needed to quantify which aspects of household water damage are rela ted to respiratory illness.