Asthma prevalence among Hispanic adults in Puerto Rico and Hispanic adults of Puerto Rican descent in the United States – results from two national surveys

Abstract

Objective: To assess whether asthma prevalence differs between Hispanic adults living in Puerto Rico and Hispanic adults of Puerto Rican descent living in the United States. Methods: We used 2008–2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data, administered in Puerto Rico for Hispanic adults living in Puerto Rico (Hispanics in Puerto Rico), and 2008–2010 National Health Interview Survey data for Hispanic adults of Puerto Rican descent living in the United States (Puerto Rican Americans). We used 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to compare asthma prevalence between corresponding subgroups; non-overlapping CIs indicate statistical significance. Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used to assess the association between current asthma status and socio-demographic factors and health risk behaviors within each Puerto Rican population. Results: Current asthma prevalence among Hispanics in Puerto Rico (7.0% [6.4%–7.7%]) was significantly lower than the prevalence among Puerto Rican Americans (15.6% [13.0%–18.1%]). The prevalence among almost all socio-demographic and health risk subgroups of Hispanics in Puerto Rico was significantly lower than the prevalence among the corresponding subgroups of Puerto Rican Americans. Adjusting for potential confounders did not alter the results. Asthma prevalence was significantly associated with obesity among Puerto Rican Americans (adjusted prevalence ratios [aPR] = 1.5 [1.1–2.0]), and among Hispanics in Puerto Rico was associated with obesity (aPR = 1.6 [1.3–1.9]), smoking (aPR = 1.4 [1.1–1.9]) and being female (aPR = 1.9 [1.5–2.4]). Conclusion: Asthma was more prevalent among Puerto Rican Americans than Hispanics in Puerto Rico. Although the observed associations did not explain all variations in asthma prevalence between these two populations, they may lay the foundation for future research.

• Adults
• asthma
• asthma prevalence
• hispanic
• non-Hispanic
• Puerto Rican
• risk factors

Declaration of interest

Authors Contributions: S. E. B. F. is the guarantor and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis; H. S. Z. contributed to the conception and design, interpretation of data, critical revision of the manuscript and approval of the final version; S. E. B. F. contributed to the conception and design, interpretation of data, critical revision of the manuscript and approval of the final version; and C. M. B. contributed to the conception and design, critical revision of the manuscript and approval of the final version.

Other Contributions: This project was undertaken while S. E. B. F. was under contract with CDC through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) fellowship program. Rose Rudd contributed in providing comments and reviewing the draft manuscript. Dana Flanders contributed in providing comments and reviewing the draft manuscript.

The authors report no conflicts of interest.