Socio-economic status is related to incidence of asthma and respiratory symptoms in adults

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess the association between socio-economic status and impaired respiratory health in a 10-yr follow-up of a population-based postal survey in Northern Sweden.Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios in relation to socio-economic class, using age, sex, a family history of asthma, smoking habits, and occupational exposures to dust, gases and fumes as possible confounders.The study comprised 2,341 males and 2,413 females. Cumulative incidences were generally lowest in professionals, including executives and civil servants at intermediate and higher levels, who were chosen as reference group. Manual workers in industry showed a significantly increased risk of developing asthma, recurrent wheeze, attacks of shortness of breath or a combination of the two, and chronic productive cough. Manual workers in service showed a similar pattern for attacks of shortness of breath, recurrent wheeze, or a combination of the two, and chronic productive cough. The corresponding population attributable risks were ,10%.Low socio-economic status was a risk factor for the development of asthma, symptoms common in asthma and chronic productive cough.

Job titles classified into socioeconomic and occupational groups identify subjects with increased risk for respiratory symptoms independent of occupational exposure to vapour, gas, dust, or fumes

“…In our study, these sectors were associated with cough and wheeze, but not asthma. In line with our findings, another Swedish study published in 2006 [7] showed that manual workers had an increased incidence rate of shortness of breath, wheeze, asthma, and cough. Interestingly, both the Finnish [29] and latter Swedish [7] studies had a longitudinal design, while the present study was cross-sectional which could affect the results; the main findings were similar.…”

“…The strength with our study was the large population-based cohort with a high participation rate resulting in a representative study population. Furthermore, the questionnaire and questions [7–10,14,16,24,26,28,35] have been used in several studies.…”

“…Occupational exposures have been related to adult-onset asthma and work-aggravated asthma, and the population-attributable fraction is estimated at about 15% [2]. Several jobs and occupational exposures are strongly associated with cough, wheeze, and nasal symptoms [3–6], and low socioeconomic status is associated with asthma, cough, and wheeze [7]. In population-based studies, occupational exposure to vapours, gas, dust, and fumes (VGDF) have been shown to increase the risk of asthma [8], respiratory symptoms [9] and rhinorrhoea [10].…”

“…There is no consensus whether the use of a JEM or the use of a VGDF question is the best way of assessing occupational exposure in epidemiological studies [14–16]. While job titles are frequently used to construct a JEM or for classifying socioeconomic status [7], job titles grouped into occupational groups have seldom been analysed as risk factors for respiratory illness.…”

Social determinants of intra-urban differentials of admissions by respiratory diseases in Salvador (BA), Brazil

“…Among the social determinants positively related to increased mortality and morbidity from respiratory diseases are: type of occupation 1 , education, income and housing 2 . These determinants have increased the prevalence of respiratory symptoms, as well as the risk of dying from lung disease.…”