Prevalence and influencing risk factors of eczema among preschool children in Urumqi city: a cross-sectional survey

Abstract Background Eczema is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with impaired quality of life. We identified indoor environmental risk factors, to provide strong evidence for the prevention and control of eczema in preschool children. Methods Using a cross-sectional study with stratified random cluster sampling, we conducted a self-administered questionnaire survey among 8153 parents of children aged 2–8 years in 60 kindergartens in six districts of Urumqi city during August 2019. Results Among 8153 preschool children, 12.0% of the children have been diagnosed with eczema. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that caesarean section (odds ratio [OR] = 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03–1.36), being an only child (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.18–1.57), presence of mould or moisture in the mother’s home before pregnancy (OR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.17–2.00), presence of flies or mosquitoes in the dwelling currently (OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.10–1.55), pets kept in the child’s home currently (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.01–1.51), presence of pets during child’s first year (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.14–1.85), and family history of eczema (OR = 3.53, 95% CI: 2.98–4.19) are the risk factors for the development of eczema, whereas ethnicity other than the Han Chinese (OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.61–0.96) is a protective factor for eczema. Conclusion Preschool children in Urumqi are at a high risk of eczema, particularly those of the Han Chinese ethnicity. Parents should be attentive to the indoor living environment of children and take actions to reduce indoor humidity, pest control and elimination, and avoid raising pets to reduce the risk of development of eczema in children.