To describe asthma control and environmental exposures at home among asthmatic adults and children in Puerto Rico, a cross-sectional analysis was performed using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Asthma Monitoring Survey from 2014 to 2016, which included 931 adults and 177 children with active asthma in Puerto Rico. These data were analyzed to estimate the prevalence of uncontrolled asthma in Puerto Rico and to explore possible associations with domestic exposure to cockroaches, smoke and mold. Asthma control was classified according to day and night symptoms, activity limitation, and use of short-acting beta agonists. Prevalences and prevalence ratios adjusted for sample weighting were calculated. It was estimated that 53% of adults and 29% of children with asthma in Puerto Rico have uncontrolled asthma. Among asthmatic adults, in the last 30 days, 29% experienced mold and 50% saw cockroaches in the home; in addition, in the previous week, 12% reported the presence of tobacco smoke in their home. Adults with uncontrolled asthma were 1.4 times more likely to have observed mold in their homes compared to those with controlled asthma, adjusting for age, sex, education, and income (prevalence ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.4 [1.1, 1.8]). Similarly, children with uncontrolled asthma were more likely to be exposed to mold at home compared to children with controlled asthma (adjusted PR [95% CI]: 3.0 [1.3, 7.1]). Uncontrolled asthma is common in adults and children with asthma in Puerto Rico. These findings suggest possible differences in household exposure to mold depending on asthma control status.
To analyze the prevalence of uncontrolled asthma and the potential association with environmental exposure to mold, smoke and cockroaches in the homes of adults and children with asthma in Puerto Rico, based on data from the report.