Prevalence odds ratios(POR) of asthma (with or without atopy) and chronic bronchitis in European Community Respiratory Health Survey II participants by occupational class and education level
POR (95%CI) | ||||
Asthma | Asthma with atopy | Asthma without atopy | Chronic bronchitis | |
Subjects n | 6965# | 2018 | 4947 | 7915¶ |
Minimally adjusted+ | ||||
Occupational class§ | ||||
Iƒ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
II | 1.16 (0.91–1.47) | 1.15 (0.82–1.60) | 1.10 (0.77–1.57) | 1.43 (0.94–2.17) |
III | 1.26 (1.01–1.56) | 1.15 (0.83–1.60) | 1.44 (1.06–1.95) | 1.71 (1.17–2.51) |
IV–V | 1.07 (0.83–1.36) | 0.91 (0.63–1.30) | 1.26 (0.89–1.79) | 1.84 (1.23–2.74) |
VI | 1.37 (1.00–1.88) | 1.07 (0.67–1.72) | 1.55 (1.00–2.41) | 1.62 (0.97–2.69) |
Educational level | ||||
Highƒ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Medium | 1.02 (0.82–1.26) | 0.74 (0.54–1.00) | 1.39 (1.01–1.93) | 1.54 (1.05–2.25) |
Low | 1.19 (0.93–1.43) | 0.93 (0.70–1.25) | 1.70 (1.26–2.29) | 1.93 (1.35–2.76) |
Fully adjusted## | ||||
Occupational class§ | ||||
Iƒ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
II | 1.13 (0.88–1.42) | 1.08 (0.75–1.54) | 1.13 (0.78–1.65) | 1.43 (0.91–2.23 |
III | 1.25 (0.99–1.57) | 1.22 (0.87–1.72) | 1.34 (0.97–1.85) | 1.53 (1.01–2.34) |
IV–V | 1.08 (0.78–1.48) | 0.91 (0.57–1.46) | 1.20 (0.77–1.88) | 1.66 (0.96–2.87) |
VI | 1.25 (0.84–1.86) | 1.16 (0.63–2.14) | 1.28 (0.75–2.19) | 1.24 (0.56–2.75) |
Educational level | ||||
Highƒ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Medium | 1.02 (0.81–1.28) | 0.75 (0.53–1.05) | 1.40 (1.00–1.97) | 1.59 (1.04–2.42) |
Low | 1.20 (0.95–1.52) | 1.10 (0.79–1.52) | 1.55 (1.18–2.14) | 1.66 (1.10–2.50) |
CI: confidence interval. #: Only subjects with serum immunoglobulin E measurements were included (except bronchitis category); ¶: excludes Tartu (Estonia) centre; +: for age, sex and centre; §: I for managers and professionals, II for technicians and associate professionals, III for other nonmanual workers, IV for skilled manual workers, V for semi-skilled/unskilled manual workers and VI for unclassifiable/unknown; ƒ: reference category; ##: for age, sex, country, body mass index, family history of asthma, number of siblings, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, smoking status, respiratory infections before 5 yrs of age, mould or mildew in the home in the previous 12 months, rhinitis and high occupational exposure to pollutants.