Generational shifts in atopic disease among immigrant families to North America from Southern India
Background: The Indian diaspora is a fast-growing population in North America, but there are limited data on the prevalence of atopic diseases after migration. Objective: We investigated the impact of migration on atopic disease prevalence among physician families who migrated from Kerala, Southern...
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Elsevier
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772829325000736 |
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| author | Sangeetha M. Kodoth, MD Priyanka Dadha, PhD Shruti Sehgal, MD(Hom), MS Christopher Warren, PhD Sai R. Nimmagadda, MD Lucy A. Bilaver, PhD Ruchi S. Gupta, MD, MPH |
| author_facet | Sangeetha M. Kodoth, MD Priyanka Dadha, PhD Shruti Sehgal, MD(Hom), MS Christopher Warren, PhD Sai R. Nimmagadda, MD Lucy A. Bilaver, PhD Ruchi S. Gupta, MD, MPH |
| author_sort | Sangeetha M. Kodoth, MD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The Indian diaspora is a fast-growing population in North America, but there are limited data on the prevalence of atopic diseases after migration. Objective: We investigated the impact of migration on atopic disease prevalence among physician families who migrated from Kerala, Southern India, to North America. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to collect demographic information, migration, and atopic history—including allergic rhinitis (AR), food allergy (FA), asthma, and atopic dermatitis (AD)—of physician migrants from Kerala, Southern India, and their families. Results: Of the 164 completed surveys, 148 were included in the final analyses. Postmigration prevalence of AR and FA were significantly higher than premigration prevalence (AR-pre 12.8% [95% confidence interval (CI), 8.1-19.6] vs AR-post 21.6% [95% CI, 15.5-29.3] [P = .048], and FA-pre 2.7% [95% CI, 0.9-7.2] vs FA-post 9.5% [95% CI, 5.5-15.7] [P = .022]). Cow’s milk (4.1%) was the common food trigger reported, followed by fruits (2.0%) and shellfish (2.0%). In 137 respondent families with children, North America–born compared to migrant children had a higher prevalence of asthma (18.6% [95% CI, 13.4-25.1] vs 8.6% [95% CI, 4.1-16.7] [P = .033]), AR (36.1% [95% CI, 29.2-43.5] vs 19.4% [95% CI, 12.2-29.1] [P = .005]), and FA (17.5% [95% CI, 12.4-23.9] vs 5.4% [95% CI 2.0-12.7] [P = .008]). Conclusion: Respondents exhibited increased prevalence of AR and FA after migration. North America–born children showed elevated risk for asthma, AR, and FA compared to respondents and children who migrated after birth. Research into lost protective factors and new risk factors, including environmental and dietary changes, is needed to decrease the impact on future generations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e9c65ba09d5d4ba4bc9af456b7774dbf |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2772-8293 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global |
| spelling | doaj-art-e9c65ba09d5d4ba4bc9af456b7774dbf2025-08-20T03:42:53ZengElsevierJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global2772-82932025-08-014310047210.1016/j.jacig.2025.100472Generational shifts in atopic disease among immigrant families to North America from Southern IndiaSangeetha M. Kodoth, MD0Priyanka Dadha, PhD1Shruti Sehgal, MD(Hom), MS2Christopher Warren, PhD3Sai R. Nimmagadda, MD4Lucy A. Bilaver, PhD5Ruchi S. Gupta, MD, MPH6Allergy Specialists of Knoxville, Knoxville, TennCenter for Food Allergy and Asthma Research, Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Chicago, IllCenter for Food Allergy and Asthma Research, Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Chicago, IllCenter for Food Allergy and Asthma Research, Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Chicago, Ill; Department of Preventive Medicine, Chicago, IllCenter for Food Allergy and Asthma Research, Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Chicago, Ill; Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Ill; Division of Allergy and Immunology, Chicago, IllCenter for Food Allergy and Asthma Research, Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Chicago, Ill; Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IllCenter for Food Allergy and Asthma Research, Institute for Public Health and Medicine, Chicago, Ill; Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Ill; The Mary Ann & J. Milburn Smith Child Health Outcomes, Research and Evaluation Center, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, Chicago, Ill; Corresponding author: Ruchi S. Gupta, MD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 750 N Lake Shore Dr, Ste 680, Chicago, IL 60611.Background: The Indian diaspora is a fast-growing population in North America, but there are limited data on the prevalence of atopic diseases after migration. Objective: We investigated the impact of migration on atopic disease prevalence among physician families who migrated from Kerala, Southern India, to North America. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to collect demographic information, migration, and atopic history—including allergic rhinitis (AR), food allergy (FA), asthma, and atopic dermatitis (AD)—of physician migrants from Kerala, Southern India, and their families. Results: Of the 164 completed surveys, 148 were included in the final analyses. Postmigration prevalence of AR and FA were significantly higher than premigration prevalence (AR-pre 12.8% [95% confidence interval (CI), 8.1-19.6] vs AR-post 21.6% [95% CI, 15.5-29.3] [P = .048], and FA-pre 2.7% [95% CI, 0.9-7.2] vs FA-post 9.5% [95% CI, 5.5-15.7] [P = .022]). Cow’s milk (4.1%) was the common food trigger reported, followed by fruits (2.0%) and shellfish (2.0%). In 137 respondent families with children, North America–born compared to migrant children had a higher prevalence of asthma (18.6% [95% CI, 13.4-25.1] vs 8.6% [95% CI, 4.1-16.7] [P = .033]), AR (36.1% [95% CI, 29.2-43.5] vs 19.4% [95% CI, 12.2-29.1] [P = .005]), and FA (17.5% [95% CI, 12.4-23.9] vs 5.4% [95% CI 2.0-12.7] [P = .008]). Conclusion: Respondents exhibited increased prevalence of AR and FA after migration. North America–born children showed elevated risk for asthma, AR, and FA compared to respondents and children who migrated after birth. Research into lost protective factors and new risk factors, including environmental and dietary changes, is needed to decrease the impact on future generations.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772829325000736Allergic diseasesmigrationIndian Americansgene–environment interactionsgenerational shift |
| spellingShingle | Sangeetha M. Kodoth, MD Priyanka Dadha, PhD Shruti Sehgal, MD(Hom), MS Christopher Warren, PhD Sai R. Nimmagadda, MD Lucy A. Bilaver, PhD Ruchi S. Gupta, MD, MPH Generational shifts in atopic disease among immigrant families to North America from Southern India Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global Allergic diseases migration Indian Americans gene–environment interactions generational shift |
| title | Generational shifts in atopic disease among immigrant families to North America from Southern India |
| title_full | Generational shifts in atopic disease among immigrant families to North America from Southern India |
| title_fullStr | Generational shifts in atopic disease among immigrant families to North America from Southern India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Generational shifts in atopic disease among immigrant families to North America from Southern India |
| title_short | Generational shifts in atopic disease among immigrant families to North America from Southern India |
| title_sort | generational shifts in atopic disease among immigrant families to north america from southern india |
| topic | Allergic diseases migration Indian Americans gene–environment interactions generational shift |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772829325000736 |
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