Socioeconomic predictors of high allergen levels in homes in the greater Boston area

In the United States, childhood asthma morbidity and prevalence rates are t he highest in less affluent urban minority communities. More than 80% of ch ildhood asthmatics are allergic to one or more inhalant allergens. We evalu ated whether socioeconomic status was associated with a differential in the levels and types of indoor home allergens. Dust samples for an ELISA aller gen assay were collected from the homes of 499 families as part of a metrop olitan Boston, Massachusetts, longitudinal birth cohort study of home aller gens and asthma in children with a parental history of asthma or allergy. T he proportion of homes with maximum home allergen levels in the highest cat egory was 42% for dust mite allergen (greater than or equal to 10 mu g/g De r p 1 or Der f 1), 13% for cockroach allergen (greater than or equal to 2 U /g Bla g 1 or Bla g 2), 26% for cat allergen (greater than or equal to 8 mu g/g Fel d 1), and 20% for dog allergen (greater than or equal to 10 mu g/g Can f 1). Homes in the high-poverty area (> 20% of the population below th e poverty level) were more likely to have high cockroach allergen levels th an homes in the low-poverty area [51 vs. 3%; OR, 33; 95% confidence interva l (CI), 12-90], but less likely co have high levels of dust mite allergen ( 16 vs. 53%; OR, 0.2; CI, 0.1-0.4). Lower family income, less maternal educa tion, and race/ethnicity (black or Hispanic vs. white) were also associated with a lower risk of high dust mite levels and a greater risk of high cock roach allergen levels. Within a single U.S. metropolitan area we found mark ed between-community differences in the types of allergens present in the h ome, bur not necessarily in the overall burden of allergen exposure.