Association of short-term increases in ambient air pollution and timing of initial asthma diagnosis among Medicaid-enrolled children in a metropolitan area.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

We investigated associations of short-term changes in ambient ozone (O3), fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations and the timing of new-onset asthma, using a large, high-risk population in an area with historically high ozone levels.

Methods

The study population included 18,289 incident asthma cases identified among Medicaid-enrolled children in Harris County Texas between 2005-2007, using Medicaid Analytic Extract enrollment and claims files. We used a time-stratified case-crossover design and conditional logistic regression to assess the effect of increased short-term pollutant concentrations on the timing of asthma onset.

Results

Each 10 ppb increase in ozone was significantly associated with new-onset asthma during the w

SUBMITTER: Wendt JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4502952 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature