Environmental Determinants of Asthma among School Children Aged 13-14 in and around Polokwane, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Kidi Rose Maluleke and Zeleke Worku
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Kidi Rose Maluleke: Research and Development, South African Social Security Agency, PO Box 54684, Wierdapark 0149, South Africa
Zeleke Worku: Department of Statistics, University of South Africa, Pretoria 0002, South Africa

IJERPH, 2009, vol. 6, issue 9, 1-21

Abstract: Asthma has become a public health issue since the 1960’s. Factors associated with asthma are environmental and genetic. This study is based on a random sample of 742 students aged 13-14 attending various schools at Polokwane, in the Province of Limpopo in South Africa. Survey logistic regression and multi-level analyses were used for data analysis. The study identifies three key determinants of asthma at the district, school and individual levels. The study shows that persistent cough (OR = 4.01), exposure to smoke at the household level (OR = 2.39) and lack of access to flush toileta at the household level (OR = 1.89) are key predictors of asthma in children. Variability at the level of districts accounts for 46% of total variance. Variability at the level of schools accounts for 33% of total variance.

Keywords: asthma; cough; smoke; flush toilet; odds ratio; multi-level analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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