SOCIOECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINANTS IN OVERWEIGHT CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA
Keywords:
Asthma, children, maternal education, overweight/obesity, socioeconomic statusAbstract
Childhood asthma and overweight are prevalent chronic conditions that often co-occur, particularly among children exposed to socioeconomic disadvantage. While each condition has been studied independently, their intersection especially in relation to environmental and household factors remains underexplored. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the influence of socioeconomic and environmental determinants on asthma in overweight children, and to identify patterns of comorbidity across distinct population groups. A total of 112 children, aged 7-17 years, were divided into three groups: overweight (N=41), asthma with normal BMI (N=38), and overweight with asthma (N=33). Data were collected through parental interviews and clinical examinations. Socioeconomic and environmental variables including maternal education, household heating method, presence of mold/dampness, family size, number of rooms, and household smoking were analyzed using SPSS 22.0, with significance set at p<0.05. Family size was significantly larger in the asthma group (mean 5.4 ± 1.7; p=0.0433), suggesting a potential link between household density and respiratory health. Mold/dampness was most prevalent in the asthma group (42.1%), though not statistically significant (p=0.0841). No significant associations were found for heating method, maternal education, number of rooms, or household smoking.
Conclusion: Тhe association between larger family size and increased household mold presence in children with asthma highlights the potential impact of household density and indoor environmental conditions on pediatric respiratory health. Although other socioeconomic and environmental determinants were not statistically significant, their distribution patterns suggest that cumulative socioeconomic disadvantage may contribute to both asthma and overweight risk.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Valentina Cvejoska Cholakovska, Emilija Vlashki, Aleksandra Acevska Jovanovska, Vesna Velikj Stefanovska
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