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Morbidity patterns among low-income wheezing infants
Mary D Klinnert1, Marcella R Price, Andrew H Liu
1Department of Pediatrics, National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver, Colorado 80206, USA. klinnertm@njc.org
Pediatrics
|July 3, 2003
Summary
Infant wheezing illness morbidity is linked to biological factors like RSV and allergens, as well as social factors such as single-parent status and smoking. Caregiver anxiety also impacts perceived illness severity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric respiratory health
- Environmental health
- Public health
Background:
- Infant wheezing illness contributes significantly to childhood morbidity.
- Understanding risk factors for infant wheezing is crucial for early intervention and asthma prevention.
- Socioeconomic and environmental factors play a role in infant respiratory health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe morbidity from wheezing illness in low-income infants.
- To examine biological, environmental, and psychosocial factors associated with wheezing illness morbidity.
- To identify correlates of healthcare utilization for infant wheezing.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated infants aged 9-24 months at risk for asthma.
- Collected data on biological, environmental, and psychosocial factors at baseline.
- Assessed morbidity using caregiver reports, quality of life surveys, and medical records (hospitalizations, emergency department visits).
Main Results:
- 46% of infants hospitalized, 59% had multiple emergency department visits for wheezing.
- Foreign-born Hispanic families had more emergency department visits but reported less severity.
- Biological factors (RSV, IgE, cockroach allergen) linked to hospitalizations; social factors (single parent, smokers) linked to emergency department visits.
Conclusions:
- Ethnic and immigrant status significantly impacts infant wheezing morbidity.
- Morbidity is associated with respiratory infections, allergic processes, and social variables.
- Psychosocial factors, including caregiver anxiety, correlate with reported illness severity.