Abstract
Background: Previous studies have suggested that environmental exposures may be related to the development of respiratory symptoms in early life. Intervention studies, however, have not produced consistent findings. Objective: The Peer Education in Pregnancy Study examined the effect of home environment intervention with pregnant women at risk for having children with asthma on the development of respiratory symptoms in their infants. Methods: A total of 383 pregnant women whose unborn child had a first-degree relative with an allergic history were randomized to 1 of 2 intervention groups, both of whom received general health education, smoking cessation advice, and encouragement to breastfeed. In addition, the intensive education group received 3 home visits focused on home environment modification. Home assessment was performed at baseline and after 1 year of follow-up. Respiratory symptoms were identified during the first year of life. Results: Families in both intervention groups showed significant changes in several environmental factors, with significant differences between the 2 groups in insects other than cockroaches, use of mattress covers, and washing in hot water. Children in the intensive education group had slightly lower incidence rates of respiratory symptoms, but few differences were statistically significant. Conclusions: The results of this study do not provide strong support for a primary intervention focused on general modification of the home environment during pregnancy for high-risk children. It does not address the effects of more aggressive approaches or of interventions targeting individual environmental factors.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 480-487 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology |
| Volume | 103 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 2009 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Allergy
- Immunology
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Cite this
The effect of low-cost modification of the home environment on the development of respiratory symptoms in the first year of life. / Persky, Victoria; Piorkowski, Julie; Hernandez, Eva; Chavez, Noel; Wagner-Cassanova, Cynthia; Freels, Sally; Vergara, Carmen; Pelzel, Darlene; Hayes, Rachel; Gutierrez, Silvia; Busso, Adela; Coover, Lenore; Thorne, Peter S.; Ownby, Dennis Randall.
In: Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Vol. 103, No. 6, 12.2009, p. 480-487.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of low-cost modification of the home environment on the development of respiratory symptoms in the first year of life
AU - Persky, Victoria
AU - Piorkowski, Julie
AU - Hernandez, Eva
AU - Chavez, Noel
AU - Wagner-Cassanova, Cynthia
AU - Freels, Sally
AU - Vergara, Carmen
AU - Pelzel, Darlene
AU - Hayes, Rachel
AU - Gutierrez, Silvia
AU - Busso, Adela
AU - Coover, Lenore
AU - Thorne, Peter S.
AU - Ownby, Dennis Randall
PY - 2009/12
Y1 - 2009/12
N2 - Background: Previous studies have suggested that environmental exposures may be related to the development of respiratory symptoms in early life. Intervention studies, however, have not produced consistent findings. Objective: The Peer Education in Pregnancy Study examined the effect of home environment intervention with pregnant women at risk for having children with asthma on the development of respiratory symptoms in their infants. Methods: A total of 383 pregnant women whose unborn child had a first-degree relative with an allergic history were randomized to 1 of 2 intervention groups, both of whom received general health education, smoking cessation advice, and encouragement to breastfeed. In addition, the intensive education group received 3 home visits focused on home environment modification. Home assessment was performed at baseline and after 1 year of follow-up. Respiratory symptoms were identified during the first year of life. Results: Families in both intervention groups showed significant changes in several environmental factors, with significant differences between the 2 groups in insects other than cockroaches, use of mattress covers, and washing in hot water. Children in the intensive education group had slightly lower incidence rates of respiratory symptoms, but few differences were statistically significant. Conclusions: The results of this study do not provide strong support for a primary intervention focused on general modification of the home environment during pregnancy for high-risk children. It does not address the effects of more aggressive approaches or of interventions targeting individual environmental factors.
AB - Background: Previous studies have suggested that environmental exposures may be related to the development of respiratory symptoms in early life. Intervention studies, however, have not produced consistent findings. Objective: The Peer Education in Pregnancy Study examined the effect of home environment intervention with pregnant women at risk for having children with asthma on the development of respiratory symptoms in their infants. Methods: A total of 383 pregnant women whose unborn child had a first-degree relative with an allergic history were randomized to 1 of 2 intervention groups, both of whom received general health education, smoking cessation advice, and encouragement to breastfeed. In addition, the intensive education group received 3 home visits focused on home environment modification. Home assessment was performed at baseline and after 1 year of follow-up. Respiratory symptoms were identified during the first year of life. Results: Families in both intervention groups showed significant changes in several environmental factors, with significant differences between the 2 groups in insects other than cockroaches, use of mattress covers, and washing in hot water. Children in the intensive education group had slightly lower incidence rates of respiratory symptoms, but few differences were statistically significant. Conclusions: The results of this study do not provide strong support for a primary intervention focused on general modification of the home environment during pregnancy for high-risk children. It does not address the effects of more aggressive approaches or of interventions targeting individual environmental factors.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=74749084120&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=74749084120&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S1081-1206(10)60264-5
DO - 10.1016/S1081-1206(10)60264-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 20084841
AN - SCOPUS:74749084120
VL - 103
SP - 480
EP - 487
JO - Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
JF - Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
SN - 1081-1206
IS - 6
ER -