Prevalence of People Reporting Sensitivities to Chemicals in a Population based Survey

Abstract

To describe the prevalence and correlates of reports about sensitivities to chemicals, questions about chemical sensitivities were added to the 1995 California Behavior Risk Factor Survey (BRFS). The survey was administered by telephone to 4,046 subjects. Of all respondents, 253 (6.3%) reported doctor-diagnosed "environmental illness" or "multiple chemical sensitivity" (MCS) and 643 (15.9%) reported being "allergic or unusually sensitive to everyday chemicals." Sensitivity to more than one type of chemical was described by 11.9% of the total sample population. Logistic regression models were constructed. Hispanic ethnicity was associated with physician-diagnosed MCS (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21-2.73). Female gender was associated with individual self-reports of sensitivity (adjusted OR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.23-2.17). Marital status, employment, education, geographic location, and income were not predictive of reported chemical sensitivities or reported doctor diagnosis. Surprising numbers of people believed they were sensitive to chemicals and made sick by common chemical exposures. The homogeneity of responses across race-ethnicity, geography, education, and marital status is compatible with a physiologic response or with widespread societal apprehensions in regard to chemical exposure.

A review of a two-phase population study of multiple chemical sensitivities.

“…The survey, administered in 1998, took samples from different regions of the state and included more than 4,000 respondents. Kreutzer et al (1999) found that 15.9% of respondents reported unusual sensitivity to common chemicals, which tended to confirm the original NAS estimate (NAS 1981). The CDHS study (Kreutzer et al 1999) also included data on sex, educational level, marital status, and racial/ethnic linkage with MCS.…”

“…Kreutzer et al (1999) found that 15.9% of respondents reported unusual sensitivity to common chemicals, which tended to confirm the original NAS estimate (NAS 1981). The CDHS study (Kreutzer et al 1999) also included data on sex, educational level, marital status, and racial/ethnic linkage with MCS. Earlier anecdotal evidence had suggested that white women of higher educational status disproportionately reported MCS (Cullen 1992).…”

“…Earlier anecdotal evidence had suggested that white women of higher educational status disproportionately reported MCS (Cullen 1992). The CDHS study (Kreutzer et al 1999), however, found a heterogeneous distribution of MCS that cuts across gender, race, and educational categories.…”

“…The California Department of Health Services (CDHS) conducted the most extensive epidemiologic research on MCS to date (Kreutzer et al 1999). The federally funded CDHS asked experts familiar with MCS to suggest optimum wording for questions to be included in a state-conducted medical survey.…”

Are there clinical features of a sensitized cough reflex?

“…Furthermore there are no validated objective methods to measure or detect this condition. A number of population based studies have suggested that sensitivity to chemicals is a common problem with reported estimates ranging from 6-18% [20,21]. A number of studies designed to determine the prevalence of odour intolerance or self-reported illness from chemical odours in the general healthy population have reported prevalence rates of 33% and 66% respectively with predominance amongst female study participants [,22,23].…”