Investigating the Relationship between Parental Education, Asthma and Rhinitis in Children Using Path Analysis

Ilaria Rocco, Giovanna Cilluffo, Giuliana Ferrante, Fabio Cibella, Alessandro Marcon, Pierpaolo Marchetti, Paolo Ricci, Nadia Minicuci, Stefania La Grutta and Barbara Corso ()
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Ilaria Rocco: Neuroscience Institute (IN), National Research Council (CNR), 35121 Padova, Italy
Giovanna Cilluffo: Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, University of Palermo, 90123 Palermo, Italy
Giuliana Ferrante: Department of Surgical Science, Dentistry, Gynecology and Pediatrics, Pediatric Unit, Verona University Medical School, 37134 Verona, Italy
Fabio Cibella: Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy
Alessandro Marcon: Unit of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, c/o Istituti Biologici II, 37134 Verona, Italy
Pierpaolo Marchetti: Unit of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, c/o Istituti Biologici II, 37134 Verona, Italy
Paolo Ricci: UOC Osservatorio Epidemiologico, Agenzia di Tutela della Salute della Val Padana, 46100 Mantova, Italy
Nadia Minicuci: Neuroscience Institute (IN), National Research Council (CNR), 35121 Padova, Italy
Stefania La Grutta: Institute of Traslational Pharmacology (IFT), National Research Council (CNR), 90146 Palermo, Italy
Barbara Corso: Neuroscience Institute (IN), National Research Council (CNR), 35121 Padova, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 21, 1-14

Abstract: Parental socioeconomic position (SEP) is a known determinant of a child’s health. We aimed to investigate whether a low parental education, as proxy of SEP, has a direct effect on physician-diagnosed asthma, current asthma and current allergic rhinitis in children, or whether associations are mediated by exposure to other personal or environmental risk factors. This study was a secondary data analysis of two cross-sectional studies conducted in Italy in 2006. Data from 2687 adolescents (10–14 years) were analyzed by a path analysis model using generalized structural equation modelling. Significant direct effects were found between parental education and family characteristics (number of children (coefficient = 0.6229, p < 0.001) and crowding index (1.1263, p < 0.001)) as well as with exposure to passive smoke: during pregnancy (maternal: 0.4697, p < 0.001; paternal: 0.4854, p < 0.001), during the first two years of children’s life (0.5897, p < 0.001) and currently (0.6998, p < 0.001). An indirect effect of parental education was found on physician-diagnosed asthma in children mediated by maternal smoking during pregnancy (0.2350, p < 0.05) and on current allergic rhinitis mediated by early environmental tobacco smoke (0.2002; p < 0.05). These results suggest the importance of promotion of ad-hoc health policies for promoting smoking cessation, especially during pregnancy.

Keywords: asthma; rhinitis; structural equation modelling; prenatal education; children (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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