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Respiratory symptoms among swedish swine producers
Author(s) -
Wilhelmsson Jan,
Bryngelsson IngLiss,
Ohlson CarlGöran
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.4700150306
Subject(s) - medicine , bronchitis , chronic bronchitis , odds ratio , respiratory system , environmental health , respiratory disease , smoking history , lung
Two hundred nine male farmers engaged in swine production, born in 1913 or later, and alive in 1985 received mailed questionnaires on respiratory symptoms, medical history, and exposure to contaminated air in swine confinement buildings. The response rate was 76%. The prevalence of three or more symptoms of bronchitis was higher than that in welders who had completed the same questionnaire—Mantel–Haenszel odds ratio 5.26 (1.9–14.8) for smoking subjects. The number of reported symptoms was strongly influenced by smoking habits (p < .01) and by exposure (p < .01), and by a positive interaction between these (p < .01, two‐way analysis of covariance). Air in swine confinement buildings is contaminated with bacterial endotoxins and organic dust, and it is concluded that it may pose a risk for airways diseases such as chronic bronchitis.