In New Mexico, Hispanic male mortality rates for lung cancer and for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are markedly lower than rates for non-Hispanic whites. For females, overall rates for Hispanic and non-Hispanic white are similar but the patterns of age-specific rates differ. Cigarette smoking practices may partially explain these differences. To further characterize the epidemiology of respiratory diseases among Hispanics, we have conducted a prevalence survey of residents of Belen, New Mexico. This community, located near Albuquerque, has a stable Hispanic population of approximately 3,900. We have enrolled about 700 Hispanic households, totalling about 2,100 individuals in all age and sex categories. Survey procedures included completion of standard respiratory symptoms questionnaires, a household questionnaire directed at environmental exposures, household and family relationships questionnaires to examine familial aggregation of symptoms and illnesses, spirometry, blood pressure, and measurement of end-tidal carbon monoxide and salivary cotinine. The analyses will be primarily directed at describing the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and diseases in Hispanics; determining risk factors for respiratory disease in this population; and developing prediction equations for spirometric parameters in Hispanics. We obtained a comprehensive cigarette smoking history so that effects of various cigarette types can be compared. The salivary cotinine data will provide a measure of active and passive smoke exposure. The household based design will permit assessment of familial aggregation of respiratory symptoms, diseases, and lung function level. We will examine familial aggregation by calculating inter and intra class correlation coefficients and by using path analysis. We also collected data on non-respiratory diseases, hypertension, diabetes, and gallbladder disease and will be able to compare these data to findings in other populations.
