Table 1

Characteristics (%) of the study population by maternal educational qualification at birth (N=7487)

%Degree plusDiplomaA levelsGCSE A–CGCSE D–GNoneTotal
Asthma
 None79.078.877.775.770.772.776.8
 Transient8.27.38.08.510.46.98.0
 Persistent12.813.914.315.818.920.315.2
Child’s sex
 Boys48.550.748.546.850.750.449.3
 Girls51.549.351.553.249.349.650.7
Maternal age at birth
 ≥25 years97.893.174.675.760.563.684.3
 14–24 years2.26.925.424.339.536.415.7
Maternal ethnicity
 White89.093.493.594.092.271.992.2
 Mixed0.90.60.50.40.61.10.6
 Indian4.11.81.01.01.12.71.8
 Pakistani2.01.22.92.85.416.62.7
 Black2.21.91.31.30.84.51.7
 Other1.71.10.40.40.13.21.0
Maternal atopy
 None75.169.969.669.767.873.270.3
 Eczema or asthma19.824.523.024.124.220.923.5
 Both4.35.97.57.011.45.86.7
Maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index
 Healthy weight71.061.553.952.851.046.258.2
 Underweight2.82.73.83.95.67.63.5
 Overweight18.824.827.427.423.829.925.4
 Obese7.411.114.915.919.516.313.0
Breast fed for at least 3 months
 No59.562.474.378.391.487.269.7
 Yes40.537.625.721.78.612.830.3
Child’s birth weight
 Low weight2.84.85.76.55.41.25.5
 Healthy weight97.295.294.393.594.688.294.5
Gestational age at birth
 Not preterm95.293.893.592.694.290.093.5
 Preterm4.86.26.57.45.810.16.5
Maternal smoking in pregnancy
 No88.082.367.355.548.046.671.7
 Yes12.017.732.744.552.053.428.3
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy
 ≤1 unit per week85.486.190.992.193.192.788.7
 Any unit per week14.613.99.17.96.97.311.3
Wheeze at 9 months
 No97.696.896.996.596.093.396.7
 Yes2.43.23.13.54.06.73.3
Damp in the house
 No89.889.487.586.679.775.887.6
 Yes10.210.612.513.420.324.312.5
Tenure
 Own outright8.15.14.33.75.26.65.0
 Own mortgage87.184.269.259.834.121.272.1
 Part rent/mortgage0.20.41.50.60.60.15.9
 Local authority0.52.510.415.732.340.19.2
 Housing association0.12.26.011.015.019.25.7
 Privately rented2.34.16.07.010.810.95.4
 Living with parents1.01.02.11.91.41.31.4
 Rent free0.80.60.50.30.60.70.5
Furry pets
 None59.752.246.842.545.554.349.7
 Not furry7.19.39.310.27.411.99.4
 Yes33.238.443.947.247.133.840.9
Environmental tobacco smoke
 No97.693.384.879.367.862.887.0
 Yes2.46.715.220.732.337.213.0
Garden access
 Yes, sole access94.393.789.087.182.378.390.4
 Yes, shared2.62.23.02.44.34.02.6
 No3.14.28.010.513.417.77.0
Sibling number
 018.224.029.324.822.718.024.2
 158.753.949.145.441.335.050.4
 2 or more23.122.221.629.836.147.025.4
Childcare
 Informal62.076.788.691.896.799.582.3
 Formal38.023.311.48.23.30.517.7
Condition of buildings
 Good condition78.675.259.552.135.022.364.2
 Fair condition20.923.437.642.456.063.532.5
 Poor condition0.51.32.95.18.813.43.1
 Bad condition0.10.10.10.50.20.80.2
Volume of traffic
 None3.74.75.84.35.85.54.8
 Light75.676.175.277.270.872.275.8
 Moderate15.814.314.413.917.016.114.5
 Heavy4.94.94.64.66.36.24.9
Litter in the street
 None92.790.281.473.258.445.382.2
 Some7.29.317.724.738.247.416.5
 Everywhere0.10.60.92.13.47.31.3
Good area
 Excellent50.044.031.627.917.116.036.8
 Good38.040.840.739.540.135.640.0
 Average9.912.820.524.029.131.517.6
 Poor2.11.95.15.68.010.13.8
 Very poor0.10.62.23.05.76.81.8
  • GCSE, General Certificate of Secondary Education .