Relation between the socioeconomic status of the family and primary allergy prevention in infant feeding in Hajdú-Bihar County, Hungary

Abstract

Background: The relationship between socioeconomic status and preventive care is an important issue in public health practice in Hungary. Our aim was to investigate the association between the socio-economic status and the present practice of primary allergy prevention in infant feeding in Hajdú-Bihar County, Hungary. Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey was performed among 3076 infants aged 0-6 months. We studied how socioeconomic status, type of settlement, allergic background of the family and skin symptoms indicative for allergy were related to primary allergy prevention in infant feeding. Prevalence odds ratios (ORs) were calculated by multiple logistic regression. Results: Independent determinants of breast feeding were age [OR corresponding to one month change 0.74; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.70-0.77], the female gender (OR 1.24; 95% CI 1.06-1.46), the socioeconomic status of the family (OR comparing the worst with the best category 0.63; 95% CI 0.43-0.93), and birth weight (OR comparing <1500 g to >2500 g category 0.17; 95% CI 0.07-0.41). Among supplementary nutrient users independent determinants of the use of hydrolysed infant formulae were the socioeconomic status (OR comparing the worst with the best category 0.06; 95% CI 0.01-0.27), the type of settlement (OR comparing village with town 0.48; 95% CI 0.28-0.80), history of allergy in the family (OR 2.30; 95% CI 1.28-4.11), and skin symptoms indicative of allergy (OR 3.46; 95% CI 1.96-6.14). Conclusion: Socio-economic status is related to the implementation of primary allergy prevention in infant feeding. © The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.