Ever eczema and itchy rash in relation to domestic environments in primary school children

Domestic risk factors as well as pollutant and allergen exposure in the home environment may contribute to the increasing prevalence of allergic conditions. This study aimed to investigate domestic environmental factors associated with ever eczema and itchy rash in children. A total of 996 children aged 4-12 years were recruited from four primary schools in Perth and surveyed between March and April of 2002. A subgroup of 88 children aged 4-6 years were further selected for assessment of exposure to pollutants and allergens. For both ever eczema and itchy rash, parents' history of eczema was a strong risk factor. Use of a portable fan for summer cooling was also a significant risk factor, with adjusted odds ratios of 1.38 (95% CI 1.01-1.88) for ever eczema and 1.53 (95% CI 1.05-2.24) for itchy rash. Age of dwellings was negatively associated with the prevalence of ever eczema (P = 0.001). Passive smoking, gas cooking and condensation inside the house were associated with a significant increase in risk of ever itchy rash as, in the sub-study, was exposure to particulate matter (PM₁₀) (P = 0.046). The findings confirmed several environmental risk factors responsible for ever eczema and itchy rash, and suggested that domestic particle sources may be linked with the occurrence of ever itchy rash among primary school children.