Australia is known to have one of the highest burdens of asthma in the world. It is the most common chronic disease in children and young adults and is a major cause of disability, and poor quality of life for those affected. As there is no permanent cure for asthma symptoms, prevention of asthma is the best strategy regarding its management. Several environmental and psychosocial factors trigger asthma symptoms, and because these factors are dynamic, changes may impact the likelihood of developing asthma symptoms. So far, there is no evidence in Australia on how family, neighbourhood and psychosocial environmental changes impact the trajectories of asthma symptoms (such as wheezing) in children. This study aims to assess the impact of psychosocial and environmental changes on asthma symptom trajectories in Australian children.
This project will use data from the nationally representative Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). The LSAC collects data across several clinical parameters including children’s asthma symptoms, demographic, social, psychosocial, and environmental characteristics. It has a Birth cohort that started from 0/1 year and has been followed for the last 14 years. In this study, asthma-symptom trajectories will be mapped to see the types of trajectories that these cohorts are following and the impact of psychosocial, and environmental factors on these trajectories.
If it is proven that the adverse changes of psychosocial, home and neighbourhood environmental factors are associated with detrimental trajectories of childhood asthma symptoms, controlling those specific factors would alter the asthma symptom trajectory favourably. Thus, it would enhance the current strategy for asthma symptom management in Australian children and ultimately improve human health.
Research Outputs
Shahunja, K.M., Sly, P.D., Begum, T., Biswas, T. and Mamun, A., 2022. Family, neighborhood and psychosocial environmental factors and their associations with asthma in Australia: a systematic review and Meta-analysis. Journal of Asthma, 59(12), pp.2539-2552.
Shahunja, K.M., Sly, P.D., Chisti, M.J. and Mamun, A., 2022. Trajectories of asthma symptom presenting as wheezing and their associations with family environmental factors among children in Australia: evidence from a national birth cohort study. BMJ open, 12(6), p.e059830.
Shahunja, K.M., Sly, P.D., Huda, M.M. and Mamun, A., 2022. Trajectories of neighborhood environmental factors and their associations with asthma symptom trajectories among children in Australia: evidence from a national birth cohort study. Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering, 20(2), pp.835-847.
Conference Abstracts
Shahunja, K. M. Family, neighbourhood and psychosocial environmental factors and their association with asthma in Australia: A systematic review and meta-analysis, 12th International Conference on Pulmonology & Respiratory Research, Online, 27-28 August, 2021.
Shahunja, K. M. Trajectories of neighbourhood environmental factors and their associations with asthma symptom trajectories among children in Australia: Evidence from a national birth cohort study, 61st Australian Society of Medical Research National Scientific Conference, Sydney, Australia, 10-11 November, 2022.
Shahunja, K. M. Trajectories of psychosocial environmental factors and their associations with asthma symptom trajectories among children in Australia: Evidence from a national birth cohort study, 30th International Paediatric Association Congress and 60th PEDCON, Gandhinagar, India, 19-24 February, 2023.
Awards and Prizes
Capacity Building Award, ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course, 2022.
