Research

Variability in childhood allergy and asthma across ethnicity, language, and residency duration in El Paso, Texas: a cross-sectional study

Erik R Svendsen^1*, Melissa Gonzales², Mary Ross³ and Lucas M Neas⁴

• * Corresponding author: Erik R Svendsen svendsee@mailbox.sc.edu

Author Affiliations

¹ University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC, USA

² University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA

³ US Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA

⁴ US Environmental Protection Agency, Human Studies Division, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

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Environmental Health 2009, 8:55 doi:10.1186/1476-069X-8-55

Published: 8 December 2009

Abstract

Background

We evaluated the impact of migration to the USA-Mexico border city of El Paso, Texas (USA), parental language preference, and Hispanic ethnicity on childhood asthma to differentiate between its social and environmental determinants.

Methods

Allergy and asthma prevalence was surveyed among 9797 fourth and fifth grade children enrolled in the El Paso Independent School District. Parents completed a respiratory health questionnaire, in either English or Spanish, and a sub-sample of children received spirometry testing at their school. Here we report asthma and allergy outcomes across ethnicity and El Paso residency duration.

Results

Asthma and allergy prevalence increased with longer duration of El Paso residency independent of ethnicity and preferred language. Compared with immigrants who arrived in El Paso after entering first grade (18%), lifelong El Paso residents (68%) had more prevalent allergy (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.32 - 2.24), prevalent asthma (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.24 - 2.46), and current asthma (OR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.37 - 2.95). Spirometric measurements (FEV₁/FVC and FEF_25-75) also declined with increasing duration of El Paso residency (0.16% and 0.35% annual reduction, respectively).

Conclusion

These findings suggest that a community-wide environmental exposure in El Paso, delayed pulmonary development, or increased health of immigrants may be associated with allergy and asthma development in children raised there.