Disparities in Comorbidity of Lead and Asthma among Preschool Children in the U.S.

Danielle Gordon, University of Texas at San Antonio
P. Johnelle Sparks, University of Texas at San Antonio

Two leading environmentally-based diseases among preschool-aged children include lead poisoning and asthma. Common contributors to both lead and asthma can be found in the home environment. There is a potential risk for comorbidity of lead and asthma among children, but research has been mixed. In the current study, data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was analyzed using logistic regression to determine comorbidity of lead and asthma among preschool children. Children who were non-Hispanic black, low-income, and lived in rented homes were at higher risk for both lead and asthma. It has been thought that housing tenure may be a proxy for housing quality. Although the current study focused on individual-level predictors of lead and asthma, future research should also explore higher levels (e.g., neighborhood) and other routes of exposure (e.g., occupational, environmental) that may place already disadvantaged children at greater risk of comorbidity of lead and asthma.