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Table 2 Distribution of health indicators, living conditions and parental educational level of 6-year-old children in East Germany stratified by urban/rural residency and year of investigation.

From: Preschool children's health and its association with parental education and individual living conditions in East and West Germany

 

Mean ± standard deviation/Prevalence [%]

 
 

Total

Residency a,b

 

Year of investigationc,d

 
  

Urban e

Rural f

 

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

 

Health indicators

               

Airway resistance [10-1•kPa•s/l]

6.67 ± 1.64

6.64 ± 1.59

6.71 ± 1.73

-

6.76 ± 1.74

--g

--g

6.52 ± 1.56

--g

--g

6.63 ± 1.44

--g

--g

--g

-

Total lung capacity [% predicted]

104 ± 11

102 ± 10

105.5 ± 11

*

101 ± 10

--g

--g

106 ± 10

--g

--g

107 ± 11

--g

--g

--g

*

Birth weight [10•g]

333 ± 54

331 ± 54

336 ± 54

*

327 ± 51

331 ± 59

333 ± 53

332 ± 54

334 ± 56

335 ± 52

332 ± 53

336 ± 52

336 ± 56

340 ± 55

*

Body height [cm]

120.1 ± 5.5

119.9 ± 5.5

120.6 ± 5.5

*

119.5 ± 5.4

119.7 ± 5.4

120.0 ± 5.8

120.5 ± 5.4

120.0 ± 5.6

120.5 ± 5.3

120.4 ± 5.6

120.3 ± 5.7

120.4 ± 5.8

120.0 ± 5.5

*

Overweight, BMI > 19 kg/m2

5.6

5.5

5.8

-

3.5

3.9

5.2

5.7

5.8

6.1

7.0

7.6

6.3

8.0

*

Bronchitis, ever diagnosed

48.1

49.7

44.3

*

56.0

50.3

47.2

50.6

44.9

45.0

44.9

43.6

44.0

39.4

*

More than 4 colds in last 12 months

13.1

14.7

9.1

*

16.1

14.2

11.6

13.4

9.8

11.1

11.7

12.0

14.6

12.7

*

Frequent cough

6.4

7.3

4.2

*

10.0

7.4

6.2

6.0

6.4

4.7

4.9

4.5

5.3

4.5

*

Sneeze attacks in the last 12 months

5.0

5.7

3.2

*

4.8

2.9

3.0

4.4

4.0

4.2

6.7

6.6

6.5

7.7

*

Allergy, ever diagnosed

9.3

9.6

8.5

*

11.5

8.4

9.2

7.7

7.4

8.9

9.0

9.7

9.4

10.8

-

Eczema, ever diagnosed

16.9

16.1

15.4

-

14.7

12.1

13.8

15.0

15.0

16.4

18.0

18.1

20.9

20.0

*

Atopic eczema, day of investigation

11.7

12.4

10.1

-

17.7

--g

--g

12.5

--g

--g

11.2

--g

--g

6.5

*

Specific IgE grass pollen positive

11.3

10.9

12.2

-

11.7

--g

--g

10.8

--g

--g

10.5

--g

--g

12.1

-

Specific IgE house dust mite positive

9.8

9.6

10.4

-

10.1

--g

--g

9.2

--g

--g

9.7

--g

--g

10.8

-

Living conditions

               

Single child

38.2

41.5

30.3

*

30.9

30.2

33.6

38.5

39.5

41.7

46.6

45.4

41.2

44.7

*

Small living space

46.3

48.1

41.8

*

58.7

49.3

46.2

53.4

42.6

38.6

43.2

36.8

33.2

32.1

*

Unfavourable indoor air

50.8

53.8

43.5

*

62.5

73.7

61.5

50.6

58.7

47.3

37.1

36.6

31.7

27.2

*

Damp housing condition

10.5

11.7

7.6

*

9.4

11.0

11.4

11.6

13.3

13.5

10.2

9.8

9.1

6.0

*

Maternal smoking during pregnancy

9.2

10.1

7.3

*

12.2

7.6

7.5

6.3

7.0

6.4

10.7

12.1

11.5

12.4

*

Living near a busy road

59.9

61.8

55.2

*

55.6

59.8

62.8

63.0

63.3

60.8

59.6

58.8

58.6

57.1

-

Parental education

               

Low parental educational level

51.9

49.9

56.7

*

48.6

52.4

50.1

50.2

50.9

49.7

53.8

58.0

57.1

54.7

*

  1. a t-test (continuous variables); b chi-square test (dichotomous variables); c t-test for correlation (continuous variables); d trend test (dichotomous variables); e Leipzig, Halle and Magdeburg; f Salzwedel, Gardelegen, Osterburg and Kloetze; g not investigated; * p < 0.05
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BMC Public Health

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