Socioeconomic Status In The United States
I. Introduction
Asthma is a lingering lung disease that causes recurring periods of wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. It is a global health problem that affects millions of people within the United States and worldwide. However, certain population groups are more susceptible to obtaining asthma than others. Socioeconomic status (SES) is a rough marker of a variety environmental/behavioral exposures and a very important determinant of differences in asthma prevalence and severity among ethnic minorities in the U.S.1 Ethnic minorities have a higher risk for obtaining asthma in the United States due to low socioeconomic status. The mechanisms by which SES influences the prevalence and severity of asthma in ethnic …show more content…
Housing codes provide an existing, but often underemployed, tool to improve indoor environments that require owners and occupants to maintain housing to standards that protect public health and reduce indoor allergens, irritants and other pollutants.24 Many states and local governments have housing codes; however, they vary considerably in their requirements, ranging from codes that incorporate very nonspecific language to providing specific descriptions of substandard conditions and requirements for repair.24 Housing codes would be very beneficial to inner-city homes where the majority of ethnic minorities …show more content…
For example, roughly 132 million people live in 293 counties that the EPA officially recognizes as failing to meet its 1997 national standards for ozone.25 Many communities face higher exposure to outdoor air pollution because of their proximity to pollution sources, such as coal-fired power plants and high-traffic areas for diesel-fueled vehicles such as trucks and buses.24 Heavily trafficked freeway routes may place asthma sufferers and children at greater risk. One study found that children who lived closer to freeways were 89 percent more likely to have a history of asthma than children who lived further away.24 Among the biggest industrial polluters, especially in the eastern half of the United States, are old, coal-fired power plants. A study revealed that over 550,000 asthma attacks, 38,000 heart attacks and 12,000 hospital admissions are caused annually by power plant
Asthma is a lingering lung disease that causes recurring periods of wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. It is a global health problem that affects millions of people within the United States and worldwide. However, certain population groups are more susceptible to obtaining asthma than others. Socioeconomic status (SES) is a rough marker of a variety environmental/behavioral exposures and a very important determinant of differences in asthma prevalence and severity among ethnic minorities in the U.S.1 Ethnic minorities have a higher risk for obtaining asthma in the United States due to low socioeconomic status. The mechanisms by which SES influences the prevalence and severity of asthma in ethnic …show more content…
Housing codes provide an existing, but often underemployed, tool to improve indoor environments that require owners and occupants to maintain housing to standards that protect public health and reduce indoor allergens, irritants and other pollutants.24 Many states and local governments have housing codes; however, they vary considerably in their requirements, ranging from codes that incorporate very nonspecific language to providing specific descriptions of substandard conditions and requirements for repair.24 Housing codes would be very beneficial to inner-city homes where the majority of ethnic minorities …show more content…
For example, roughly 132 million people live in 293 counties that the EPA officially recognizes as failing to meet its 1997 national standards for ozone.25 Many communities face higher exposure to outdoor air pollution because of their proximity to pollution sources, such as coal-fired power plants and high-traffic areas for diesel-fueled vehicles such as trucks and buses.24 Heavily trafficked freeway routes may place asthma sufferers and children at greater risk. One study found that children who lived closer to freeways were 89 percent more likely to have a history of asthma than children who lived further away.24 Among the biggest industrial polluters, especially in the eastern half of the United States, are old, coal-fired power plants. A study revealed that over 550,000 asthma attacks, 38,000 heart attacks and 12,000 hospital admissions are caused annually by power plant