To gather the evidence for this study, scientists and researchers used a test group comprised of over 800 children between the ages of 1 to 16. The study was done at Cincinnati’s Children’s Medical Center. 57% of the patients at the hospital were Black.
Black children had a 23% chance of being readmitted to the hospital for asthma related issues, while their white peers only were 11% likely to do so. This high rate of readmission was attributed to the economic and social difficulties of their caregivers; they cited such problems as not having a job or money to buy proper medications and not having adequate transportation to take the children in for regular doctor’s visits.
Obesity related asthma due to poor diets and the high costs of healthy foods, coupled with poorer air quality in urban areas also contributes to the disproportionate numbers of asthmatic youth within the Black community. Some common irritants that can cause asthma-related symptoms to flare up include cigarette smoke as well as allergies to pollen, dust, and even cockroaches.
In order to effectively address this problem, there must be more community based prevention, and health education and prevention in lower income areas. More must also be done by senators and law makers to improve the living conditions of the poor and the air quality in areas that are heavily populated.
Article Appeared @http://www.blackbluedog.com/2014/02/news/black-children-more-likely-to-go-back-to-hospital-for-asthma/