Time trends in racial and ethnic disparities in asthma prevalence in the United States from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) study (1999-2011)

N. Bhan, I. Kawachi, M.M. Glymour and S.V. Subramanian

American Journal of Public Health, 2015, vol. 105, issue 6, 1269-1275

Abstract: Objectives. We examined whether racial/ethnic disparities in the United States increased over time. Methods. We analyzed data from 3 868 956 adults across the United States from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System from 1999 to 2011. We used random intercepts models (individuals nested in states) to examine racial/ethnic disparities and time trends in asthma lifetime and its current prevalence, adjusted for covariates. We also investigated the heterogeneity in asthma prevalence by ethnicity of the major zone of residence. Results. Lifetime and current asthma prevalence were higher among non- Hispanic Black populations, with time trends highlighting increasing differences over time (b = 0.0078; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.0043, 0.0106). Lower odds ratios (ORs) of asthma were noted for Hispanic populations (OR = 0.74; 95% CI = 0.73, 0.76). Hispanics in states with more Puerto Rican residents reported greater risks of asthma (OR = 1.55; 95% CI = 1.24, 1.93) compared with Hispanics in states with larger numbers of Mexican or other ethnicities. Conclusions. Disparities in asthma prevalence by racial/ethnic groups increased in the last decade, with non-Hispanic Blacks and Puerto Rican Hispanics at greater risk. Interventions targeting asthma treatments need to recognize racial, ethnic, and geographic disparities. © 2015, American Public Health Association Inc. All rights reserved.

Keywords: adult; African American; Asian American; asthma; Caucasian; demography; ethnology; female; health disparity; health survey; Hispanic; human; interview; male; prevalence; risk factor; socioeconomics; statistics and numerical data; United States, Adult; African Americans; Asian Americans; Asthma; Demography; European Continental Ancestry Group; Female; Health Status Disparities; Hispanic Americans; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Male; Population Surveillance; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; United States (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2014.302172_0

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302172

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