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Prevalence of obstructive lung diseases and respiratory symptoms in relation to living environment and socio-economic group

Montnemery, Peter LU ; Bengtsson, P ; Elliot, A ; Lindholm, L H ; Nyberg, Per LU and Löfdahl, Claes-Göran LU (2001) In Respiratory Medicine 95(9). p.744-752
Abstract
We wanted to test whether living environment, occupation and social position are risk factors for asthma and chronic bronchitis/emphysema (CBE). The prevalence of bronchial asthma, CBE, respiratory symptoms and smoking habits in a random sample of 12,071 adults aged 20-59 years was assessed in a postal survey with a slightly modified questionnaire previously used in central and northern Sweden (The OLIN studies). Occupation was coded according to a socio-economic classification system. Six different living environment areas were defined; city-countryside, seaside-not seaside and living close to heavy traffic-not living close to heavy traffic. Multiple logistic regression analysis (forward conditional) was applied to estimate the... (More)
We wanted to test whether living environment, occupation and social position are risk factors for asthma and chronic bronchitis/emphysema (CBE). The prevalence of bronchial asthma, CBE, respiratory symptoms and smoking habits in a random sample of 12,071 adults aged 20-59 years was assessed in a postal survey with a slightly modified questionnaire previously used in central and northern Sweden (The OLIN studies). Occupation was coded according to a socio-economic classification system. Six different living environment areas were defined; city-countryside, seaside-not seaside and living close to heavy traffic-not living close to heavy traffic. Multiple logistic regression analysis (forward conditional) was applied to estimate the association between the proposed set of risk factors and self-reported obstructive lung diseases and lower respiratory symptoms controlling for age, gender and smoking. After two reminders, the response rate was 70.1% (n=8469); 33.8% of the responders were smokers. In all, 469 subjects (5.5%) stated that they had asthma and 4.6% reported CBE. Besides smoking, which was a risk for both asthma and CBE, there were different risk patterns for self-reported asthma and CBE. In the economically active population there was a tendency that CBE was more common among 'unskilled and semi-skilled workers'. This fact was further emphasized when the population was merged into the two groups 'low social position' and 'middle/high social position', with 'low social position' as a risk for CBE (OR=1.35, 95% CI=1.06-1.72). No social risk factors were identified for asthma. Living close to heavy traffic was a risk factor for asthma (OR=1.29, 95% CI=1.02-1.62) but not for CBE. Apart from this no living environmental risk factors for obstructive pulmonary diseases were identified. Asthma symptoms and long-standing cough were more common among those subjects living close to heavy traffic compared to those not living close to heavy traffic. To conclude, low social position was a risk factor for CBE and living close to heavy traffic was a risk factor for asthma. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
asthma, chronic bronchitis, environmental factors, postal questionnaire, respiratory symptoms, smoking, socio-economy.
in
Respiratory Medicine
volume
95
issue
9
pages
744 - 752
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:11575896
  • scopus:0034817226
  • pmid:11575896
ISSN
1532-3064
DOI
10.1053/rmed.2001.1129
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Division of Nursing (Closed 2012) (013065000), Respiratory Medicine and Allergology (013230111), Division of Geriatric Medicine (013040040)
id
3577e461-cb8b-4dc6-8582-cdc98cd5bb11 (old id 1122231)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 17:11:32
date last changed
2022-01-29 01:00:55
@article{3577e461-cb8b-4dc6-8582-cdc98cd5bb11,
  abstract     = {{We wanted to test whether living environment, occupation and social position are risk factors for asthma and chronic bronchitis/emphysema (CBE). The prevalence of bronchial asthma, CBE, respiratory symptoms and smoking habits in a random sample of 12,071 adults aged 20-59 years was assessed in a postal survey with a slightly modified questionnaire previously used in central and northern Sweden (The OLIN studies). Occupation was coded according to a socio-economic classification system. Six different living environment areas were defined; city-countryside, seaside-not seaside and living close to heavy traffic-not living close to heavy traffic. Multiple logistic regression analysis (forward conditional) was applied to estimate the association between the proposed set of risk factors and self-reported obstructive lung diseases and lower respiratory symptoms controlling for age, gender and smoking. After two reminders, the response rate was 70.1% (n=8469); 33.8% of the responders were smokers. In all, 469 subjects (5.5%) stated that they had asthma and 4.6% reported CBE. Besides smoking, which was a risk for both asthma and CBE, there were different risk patterns for self-reported asthma and CBE. In the economically active population there was a tendency that CBE was more common among 'unskilled and semi-skilled workers'. This fact was further emphasized when the population was merged into the two groups 'low social position' and 'middle/high social position', with 'low social position' as a risk for CBE (OR=1.35, 95% CI=1.06-1.72). No social risk factors were identified for asthma. Living close to heavy traffic was a risk factor for asthma (OR=1.29, 95% CI=1.02-1.62) but not for CBE. Apart from this no living environmental risk factors for obstructive pulmonary diseases were identified. Asthma symptoms and long-standing cough were more common among those subjects living close to heavy traffic compared to those not living close to heavy traffic. To conclude, low social position was a risk factor for CBE and living close to heavy traffic was a risk factor for asthma.}},
  author       = {{Montnemery, Peter and Bengtsson, P and Elliot, A and Lindholm, L H and Nyberg, Per and Löfdahl, Claes-Göran}},
  issn         = {{1532-3064}},
  keywords     = {{asthma; chronic bronchitis; environmental factors; postal questionnaire; respiratory symptoms; smoking; socio-economy.}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{9}},
  pages        = {{744--752}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Respiratory Medicine}},
  title        = {{Prevalence of obstructive lung diseases and respiratory symptoms in relation to living environment and socio-economic group}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/rmed.2001.1129}},
  doi          = {{10.1053/rmed.2001.1129}},
  volume       = {{95}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}