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A2806 - Residential Proximity to Traffic is Associated with Lifetime Rhinitis and Seasonal Allergy Symptoms among Urban Mexican American Children
Author Block: K. Eldeirawi1, C. Kunzweiler1, V. Persky2; 1College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States, 2University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.
Background: Allergic rhinitis affects over 400 million people globally and the prevalence of the disease is increasing in many parts of the world with no clear explanation. Recent reports show alarming impact of air pollution on health outcomes, including respiratory conditions. Traffic related air pollution (TRAP) has been linked with increased rates of allergic symptoms but the evidence remains inconsistent. In the United States, Mexican American (MA) children are disproportionately burdened by exposure to TRAP compared to other race/ethnic groups in the country. Yet, research on the association of TRAP with rhinitis and allergy symptoms in MA children living in urban neighborhoods is lacking. Objectives: We examined the associations of living near (within 250 meters) primary traffic arterials (roads) with the odds of lifetime rhinitis and seasonal allergy symptoms in a sample of MA children living in inner city Chicago. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we geocoded the addresses of 1,946 MA school children in K-8 grades using Geographic Information Systems software, calculated distance between each residence and the nearest primary traffic arterial, and aggregated data on neighborhood (census tract) characteristics from the 2000 census. We then linked individual-level questionnaire data collected from the parents with the neighborhood-level data. We used multilevel logistic regression mixed-effect models to examine the associations of living within 250 meters of a primary arterial road (yes or no) with lifetime rhinitis (ever sneezing or runny nose or blocked nose not due to cold or the flu) and lifetime seasonal allergy symptoms (ever sneezing, itchy-watery eyes, and runny nose with seasonal changes). Results: Of the total sample, approximately 5% had lifetime rhinitis and almost 25% had lifetime seasonal allergy symptoms. Children who lived within 250 meters of primary traffic arterials had an increased odds of lifetime rhinitis [odds ratio (OR), 2.14; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.45 - 3.16] and lifetime seasonal allergy symptoms (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.03 - 1.98) compared with their counterparts living farther than 250 meters of primary traffic arterials after adjusting for individual- and neighborhood-level covariates including country of birth, day-care or pre-school attendance, parental history of asthma or allergies, presence of smoker at home when child was born, percent of residents who state they are of Mexican origin, population density, and a composite index of neighborhood deprivation. Conclusions: Exposure to primary arterial roads as a proxy of pollution may increase the risk of rhinitis and seasonal allergy symptoms in MA children.