Recent research published in the Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health provides new insight on the relation between childhood asthma and country of birth. The research analyzed data from five different studies on the topic.
Among children born in the United States, it was found that low socioeconomic status and exposure to pests such as mice and cockroaches were both associated with having asthma. However, neither of these associations applied to children born outside of the U.S.
In fact, U.S.-born children exposed to pests were 60 percent more likely to have asthma than U.S.-born children not exposed to pests. While foreign-born children’s pest exposure had no significant effect on their asthma risk. U.S.-born children who were of low socioeconomic status were twice as likely to have asthma than those who were not. While, again, foreign-born children’s socioeconomic status had no significant effect on their asthma risk.
There are speculations as to why this is so. One idea is that children who are born in less-developed countries are more resistant to asthma than U.S.-born children because they are more likely to have had early exposure to certain viruses and bacterium, increasing their immunity.
Another is that those born in countries with greater sunlight exposure than the U.S. will have increased levels of Vitamin D, which protects against asthma. Another speculation is that families who immigrate simply tend to be healthier people overall.
“Our current findings may help bring a new perspective to asthma research as they highlight the importance of studying foreign-born children,” said Douge Brugge, senior author of the research.
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