Table 2. Current risk factors and features of schoolchildren enrolled in an asthma case-control study between 2015–17 (N = 1,670).
| Current features | Asthma cases N = 555 | Non-asthma controls N = 1115 | Adj. OR (95% CI)* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency of ‘Trucks’ passing on street near child’s home | |||
| Rarely (931) | 264 (47.6) | 667 (59.8) | 1 |
| Frequently (618) | 232 (41.8) | 386 (34.6) | 1.60 (1.27–2.01) |
| Almost all the time (121) | 59 (10.6) | 62 (5.6) | 2.28 (1.52–3.43)† |
| Cooking fuel most frequently used indoor | |||
| No indoor cooking (390) | 120 (21.6) | 270 (24.2) | 1 |
| Charcoal stove (890) | 262 (47.2) | 628 (56.3) | 1.04 (0.79–1.37) |
| Gas/Electricity (390) | 173 (31.2) | 217 (19.5) | 1.58 (1.16–2.17) |
| Child’s reported regular physical activity levels as recommended by WHO [m = 1] | |||
| Yes (999) | 300 (54.0) | 699 (62.7) | 0.71 (0.56–0.90) |
| Current exposure to cigarette smoke by a household member§ | |||
| Yes (187) | 68 (12.2) | 119 (10.7) | 1.26 (0.90–1.76) |
| Use of de-worming medication in last 12 months [m = 1] | |||
| None (570) | 151 (27.2) | 419 (37.6) | 1 |
| Once (724) | 231 (41.6) | 493 (44.3) | 1.37 (1.06–1.77) |
| >Twice (375) | 173 (31.2) | 202 (18.1) | 2.18 (1.62–2.93)† |
| Used albendazole in last 12 months [m = 18] | |||
| Yes (892) | 352 (63.9) | 540 (49.0) | 1.76 (1.40–2.22) |
| Used praziquantel in last 12 months [m = 55] | |||
| Yes (393) | 113 (21.0) | 280 (26.0) | 0.84 (0.63–1.11) |
| Infection with any helminths at enrolment‡ [m = 127] | |||
| Yes (206) | 53 (10.3) | 153 (14.9) | 0.75 (0.53–1.07) |
| Allergic rhinitis in last 12 months [m = 1] | |||
| Yes (215) | 119 (21.4) | 96 (8.6) | 2.91 (2.13–3.97) |
| Allergic conjunctivitis in last 12 months | |||
| Yes (177) | 86 (15.5) | 91 (8.2) | 2.10 (1.51–2.92) |
| Eczema in last 12 months | |||
| Yes (60) | 41 (7.4) | 19 (1.7) | 4.52 (2.54–8.06) |
| Urticarial rash in last 12 months | |||
| Yes (36) | 18 (3.2) | 18 (1.6) | 1.92 (0.96–3.84) |
Adj. OR = adjusted odds ratio; CI = confidence interval; N = number; m = missing; WHO = World Health Organisation. Number (%) in 2nd and 3rd column. *adjusted for child’s age, sex, residence at birth and father’s education level. †Test for trend p-value<0.0001. ‡Helminths infections included mainly Schistosoma mansoni, Trichuris trichuria, Hookworm, and Ascaris lumbricoides; this variable was additionally adjusted for reported worm treatment in the last 12 months. §This included the adolescents’ own smoking history.