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Table 1 Distributions of environmental and socio-economic characteristics by area of residence for study subjects

From: Effects of environment on human cytokine responses during childhood in the tropics: role of urban versus rural residence

Characteristic

Rural

Urban

P value*

(N = 210)

(N = 230)

Socio-demographic

   

Age (years)

   

  Median (range)

11 (7–18)

9 (6–14)

<0.001

Sex

   

  Male/female (%)

56.2/43.8

48.5/51.5

0.106

Ethnicity

   

  Afro-Ecuadorian/Mestizo (%)

97.1/2.9

74.2/25.8

<0.001

Maternal educational level (%)

   

  Illiterate

49.5

15.7

<0.001

  Primary complete

43.8

47.7

 

  Secondary complete

6.7

36.6

 

Monthly income (US$)

   

  Median (range)

195 (10–5,000)

220 (0–3,000)

0.072

Body mass index

   

  Median (range)

17.6 (16.1-20.0)

16.3 (15.5-18.1)

<0.001

Environmental/hygiene

   

Pets inside the house (%)§

65.1

58.1

0.173

Crowding (persons/sleeping room)

   

Median (range)

2.67 (2–4)

2.67 (2–4)

0.974

Birth order

   

 1st-2nd

37.1

51.6

0.020

 3rd-4th

31.4

25.8

 ≥5th

31.4

22.6

Bathroom (%)

   

 Field

45.2

2.6

<0.001

 Latrine

48.6

25.8

 WC

6.2

71.6

Daycare attendance (%)

58.2

33.99

<0.001

Drinking water sources*

   

 Rain (%)

70.5

1.3

<0.001

 River (%)

57.6

1.3

<0.001

 Well (%)

31.9

1.3

<0.001

 Piped (%)

46.7

0

<0.001

 Potable (%)

1.9

98.7

<0.001

House construction materials (%)

   

 Wood/bamboo

58.3

26.5

<0.001

 Wood/cement

18.7

27.7

 Cement/brick

23.0

45.8

Environmental/farming

   

Father with agricultural occupation (%)

75.2

47.7

<0.001

Number of per-domiciliary animals†

   

 0

5.7

5.8

<0.001

 1-3

49.3

66.2

 ≥4

45.0

26.0

Contact with large farm animals‡ (%)

20.6

3.2

<0.001

Environmental/infections (%)

   

 Any geohelminth

73.5

20.9

<0.001

A. lumbricoides

50.0

9.6

<0.001

T. trichiura

62.0

16.8

<0.001

G. intestinalis

8.5

15.0

0.040

E. histolytica/dispar

27.0

15.9

0.005

 Recent anthelmintic treatment (%)¶

66.0

85.6

<0.001

  1. *P values calculated using the Chi-squared, Fisher’s exact test, or Mann–Whitney test as appropriate. **Households, especially in the rural area, have multiple sources of drinking water that vary by season. † − numbers of the following different animals: dog, cat, pig, chicken, cow, donkey, horse. § dog and or cat passing freely inside house. ‡ at least once weekly. ¶ - within previous 12 months
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World Allergy Organization Journal

ISSN: 1939-4551

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