Preschool asthma: Examining environmental influences using geographic information systems

Area of Science:

• Environmental health
• Pediatric asthma research
• Public health informatics

Background:

• Asthma is a significant health concern for children in Head Start programs.
• Identifying environmental triggers is crucial for effective asthma management in early childhood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the co-occurrence of environmental factors in areas with high asthma prevalence among Head Start children.
• To utilize Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for mapping and analyzing environmental exposures in relation to asthma clusters.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive study utilizing a convenience sample of 56 preschool-aged children with asthma in Head Start.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and ArcGIS 10.4 were employed for geocoding and spatial analysis of aggregated address data at the census tract level.
• Assessment included housing age, proximity to pollution remediation sites, and blood lead levels in relation to asthma concentration.

Main Results:

• A single census tract housed most children with asthma, characterized by a high proportion of pre-1960 housing.
• Pollution remediation sites were identified near areas with high asthma cases.
• Elevated blood lead levels were noted in 22% of all Head Start children, though specific data for asthmatic children were unavailable.

Conclusions:

• Environmental factors, including housing conditions and pollution sites, are associated with high asthma rates in Head Start populations.
• GIS mapping effectively identifies children susceptible to asthma, enabling targeted public health nursing interventions.
• Empowering families with knowledge about environmental exposures and asthma risks is essential for proactive management.