Newly published University of Iowa study links high rates of asthma with children living near hog farms

University of Iowa College of Public Health researchers have found that the prevalence of asthma is elevated among children living on farms where swine are raised. In addition, children living on swine farms where antibiotics are added to feed have an even higher prevalence of the respiratory disease.

Studies have shown in the past that rural children have lower numbers of asthma than children living in cities. “This is a significant study showing the opposite to be true in the case of children living on hog farms, ” said James Merchant, dean of the U of I’s College of Public Health.

This study further proves why Iowa needs clean air standards for factory farms.
To learn more about CCI's clean air campaign, click here.

Follow these links to view the University of Iowa study:

• As Published in Environmental Health Perspectives (a publication of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences)
            http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/members/2004/7240/7240.pdf
  
  
• The University of Iowa Public Health Department website, where you will also find a chart showing the prevalence of asthma according to their living environments.
           http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu

Follow the link to the Des Moines Register December 10 article covering the story here:
        Kids' asthma, hog farms linked, U of I researchers also look at antibiotics fed to         livestock.

posted 12/10/04

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