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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) An erratum has been published All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2005.079400v1 96/9/1604    most recent Submit a response View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (12) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Nepomnyaschy, L. Articles by Reichman, N. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Nepomnyaschy, L. Articles by Reichman, N. E. Related Collections Access to Care Other Maternal and Infant Health Other Child and Adolescent Health Asthma Surveys Other Environment

Lenna Nepomnyaschy, PhD and Nancy E. Reichman, PhD

Lenna Nepomnyaschy is with the Columbia University School of Social Work, New York, NY. Nancy E. Reichman is with the Department of Pediatrics at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to: Lenna Nepomnyaschy, Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Ave, Room 718, New York, NY 10027 (e-mail: ln77{at}columbia.edu).

Objectives. We assessed whether the association between low birthweight and early childhood asthma can be explained by an extensive set of individual- and neighborhood-level measures.

Methods. A population-based sample of children born in large US cities during 1998–2000 was followed from birth to age 3 years (N=1803). Associations between low birthweight and asthma diagnosis at age 3 years were estimated using multilevel models. Prenatal medical risk factors and behaviors, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and neighborhood characteristics were controlled.

Results. Low-birthweight children were twice as likely as normal birthweight children to have an asthma diagnosis (34% vs 18%). The fully adjusted association (OR= 2.36; P<.001) was very similar to the unadjusted association (OR= 2.48; P<.001). Rates of renter-occupied housing and vacancies at the census tract–level were strong independent predictors of childhood asthma.

Conclusions. Very little of the association between low birthweight and asthma at age 3 can be explained by an extensive set of demographic, socioeconomic, medical, behavioral, and neighborhood characteristics. Associations between neighborhood housing characteristics and asthma diagnosis in early childhood need to be further explored.

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