Table 4.

Step-wise assessment of potential mediators between race and persistent wheezing illness

	Is race associated with the potential mediator?a			Are race and the potential mediator independently associated with persistent wheezing illness?b
Potential mediator	ORc	95% CI	P-value	Variable	ORd	95% CI	P-value
Potential ETS exposure	1.2	(0.76, 2.0)	0.40	–	–	–	–
Child <5 years in home	1.4	(0.87, 2.1)	0.18	–	–	–	–
Eczema and/or hay fever	1.5	(0.95, 2.2)	0.08	–	–	–	–
RSV	1.0	(0.58, 1.8)	0.99	–	–	–	–
Parent history of asthma	1.5	(0.88, 2.5)	0.15	–	–	–	–
Furry pet in home	0.09	(0.05, 0.17)	<0.001	Furry pet in home	1.2	(0.72, 1.9)	0.51
				Black	3.3	(1.9, 5.5)	<0.001
Maternal education: college graduate/graduate school	0.21	(0.14, 0.36)	<0.001	Maternal education: college graduate/graduate school	0.82	(0.52, 1.3)	0.40
				Black	2.7	(1.7, 4.3)	<0.001
Anticipated breast milk diet	0.37	(0.24, 0.58)	<0.001	Anticipated breast milk diet	0.64	(0.41, 0.98)	0.04
				Black	2.7	(1.7, 4.2)	<0.001
Public insurance	5.4	(3.2, 9.1)	<0.001	Public insurance	1.7	(1.0, 2.6)	0.03
				Black	2.5	(1.5, 4.0)	<0.001
BPD	0.54	(0.36, 0.82)	0.02	BPD	2.4	(1.6, 3.8)	<0.001
				Black	3.5	(2.2, 5.6)	<0.001

^aCorresponds to Step 2 from mediation analysis.

^bCorresponds to Step 3 from mediation analysis.

^cOR for black versus non-black race as a predictor of the potential mediator

^dORs for potential mediator and black race when variables adjusted for each other.

All analyses adjusted for gestational age, birth weight, and sex

BPD – bronchopulmonary dysplasia; ETS – environmental tobacco smoke, RSV – respiratory syncytial virus