IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2021i1p122-d709353.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Allergy and Household Living Conditions among Adolescents Living near Gold Mine Tailing Dumps in the Gauteng and North West Provinces of South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Abike O. Olajide-Ibiejugba

    (School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

  • Vusumuzi Nkosi

    (School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
    Environment and Health Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Johannesburg 2094, South Africa
    Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Doornfontein Campus, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2094, South Africa)

  • Funzani Takalani-Rathogwa

    (Department of Advanced Nursing Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa)

  • Joyce Shirinde

    (School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

  • Janine Wichmann

    (School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

  • Robin J. Green

    (Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

  • Kuku Voyi

    (School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

Abstract

This quantitative exploratory baseline study aimed to investigate whether allergy among adolescents was associated with household living conditions, including living near gold mine tailing dumps in South Africa. A questionnaire based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies was used to collect information on allergy and household risk factors among adolescents ( n = 5611). A chi-square test was applied to determine the relationship between community (exposed/unexposed) and confounding variables. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis (LRA) to estimate the likelihood of having doctor-diagnosed allergies. The overall prevalence of doctor-diagnosed allergies was 25.5%. The exposed communities had a higher prevalence of doctor-diagnosed allergies (26.97%) compared with the unexposed (22.69%) communities. The study found an association between doctor-diagnosed allergy and having fungus in the house, being female, currently having pets in and around the house, residing in the community for more than three years and living in communities located close to gold mine tailing dumps. Actions to implement buffer zones between gold mine tailing dumps and communities would support Sustainable Development Goals 3 (health) and 11 (sustainable cities and communities), while failing to address the current potential identified risk factors may pose a significant public health challenge. Local policymakers should also apply the precautionary principle to protect the health of children, especially with the location of human settlements relative to air pollution sources.

Suggested Citation

  • Abike O. Olajide-Ibiejugba & Vusumuzi Nkosi & Funzani Takalani-Rathogwa & Joyce Shirinde & Janine Wichmann & Robin J. Green & Kuku Voyi, 2021. "Allergy and Household Living Conditions among Adolescents Living near Gold Mine Tailing Dumps in the Gauteng and North West Provinces of South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2021:i:1:p:122-:d:709353
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/1/122/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/1/122/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David H J Pols & Jorien B Wartna & Elvira I van Alphen & Heleen Moed & Nadine Rasenberg & Patrick J E Bindels & Arthur M Bohnen, 2015. "Interrelationships between Atopic Disorders in Children: A Meta-Analysis Based on ISAAC Questionnaires," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(7), pages 1-15, July.
    2. Richard Kwizera & Joseph Musaazi & David B Meya & William Worodria & Freddie Bwanga & Henry Kajumbula & Stephen J Fowler & Bruce J Kirenga & Robin Gore & David W Denning, 2019. "Burden of fungal asthma in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(5), pages 1-17, May.
    3. Kidi Rose Maluleke & Zeleke Worku, 2009. "Environmental Determinants of Asthma among School Children Aged 13-14 in and around Polokwane, Limpopo Province, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 6(9), pages 1-21, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Oyewale Mayowa Morakinyo & Matlou Ingrid Mokgobu, 2022. "Indoor Household Exposures and Associated Morbidity and Mortality Outcomes in Children and Adults in South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-20, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2021:i:1:p:122-:d:709353. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.