Prevalence of respiratory symptoms in migrant children to Italy: the results of SIDRIA-2 study
Authors: Migliore, E.1; Pearce, N.; Bugiani, M.2; Galletti, G.1; Biggeri, A.3; Bisanti, L.4; Caranci, N.5; Dell'Orco, V.6; De Sario, M.7; Sestini, P.8; Piffer, S.9; Viegi, G.10; Forastiere, F.7; Galassi, C.1; Ciccone, G.1
Source: Allergy, Volume 62, Number 3, March 2007 , pp. 293-300(8)
Publisher: Blackwell Publishing
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Abstract:
Background: Epidemiological studies have documented large international variations in the prevalence of asthma, and `westernization' seems to play an important role in the development of the disease. The aims of this study were to compare the prevalence of respiratory symptoms in migrant and nonmigrant children resident in Italy, and to examine the effect of length of time living in Italy. Methods: Data were collected in a large cross-sectional study (SIDRIA-2) performed in 12 Italian centres, using standardized parental questionnaires. For the 29 305 subjects included in the analysis (6-7 and 13-14 years old), information about place of birth and parental nationality was available. Results: There were 1012 children (3%) born outside of Italy, mainly in East Europe. Lifetime asthma and current wheeze were generally significantly less common among children born abroad than among children born in Italy (lifetime asthma: 5.4% and 9.7% respectively, P < 0.001; current wheeze: 5.2% and 6.9%, respectively, P = 0.04). Lower risks for lifetime asthma (prevalence odds ratio, POR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.23-0.66) and current wheeze (POR = 0.72; 95% CI: 0.47-1.10) were found for children who had lived in Italy <5 years, while migrant children who had lived in Italy for 5 years or more had risks very similar to Italian children. Conclusions: Migrant children have a lower prevalence of asthma symptoms than children born in Italy. Prevalence increased with the number of years of living in Italy, suggesting that exposure to environmental factors may play an important role in the development of asthma in childhood.Keywords: asthma; children and adolescents; migration; place of birth; respiratory symptoms
Document Type: Research article
DOI: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2007.01238.x
Affiliations: 1: Cancer Epidemiology Unit, San Giovanni Battista Hospital - Center for Cancer Prevention Piemonte (CPO), Turin, Italy 2: Unit of Pneumology and Allergology CPA-ASL 4, Turin, Italy 3: Department of Statistics, University of Florence, Florence, Italy 4: Epidemiology Unit, Local Health Authority, Milan, Italy 5: Epidemiology Unit, ASL 5, Turin, Italy 6: Department of Prevention, Rome G Local Health Authority, Rome, Italy 7: Department of Epidemiology, Rome E Local Health Authority, Rome, Italy 8: Institute of Respiratory Diseases, University of Siena, Siena, Italy 9: Epidemiology Unit, Provincial Health Authority, Trento, Italy 10: CNR Institute of Clinical Physiology, Pisa, Italy
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