Socio-environmental conditions and geographical variability of asthma prevalence in Northeast Brazil

Background: This st udy aims t o evaluat e t he associat ion bet ween environment al and socio-economic condit ions wit h ast hma prevalence in t he eight ISAAC cent res in Nort h-East Brazil. Met hods: Est imat es on occurrence, severit y and medical diagnoses of ast hma in t he previous 12 mont hs were compared using environment al and socioeconomic indicat ors. Associat ions were assessed using simple linear regression and Pearson correlat ion coeffi cient . Result s: There was no difference in ast hma prevalence bet ween cent res. Act ive ast hma prevalence increased wit h increasing wat er privat ion, and t his would explain 62 % of t he observed prevalence. Median t emperat ure increase was inversely relat ed t o act ive ast hma (r = 0.81; p < 0.05). There was a posit ive associat ion bet ween lat it ude and act ive ast hma prevalence (r = 0.82; p < 0.005), a negat ive associat ion bet ween severe ast hma and yearly medium t emperat ure (r = —0.89; p < 0.05), and a posit ive associat ion wit h lat it ude (r = 0.78; p < 0.05). Conclusion: Relat ion bet ween t he t ropical weat her and high prevalence of ast hma was not confi rmed. There were associat ions wit h wat er privat ion and lat it ude.