Table 4
Odds ratios for current rhinitis and current farm-related exposures among 2245 commercial pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study
| Exposure | Current rhinitis(n = 1664),n (% exposed) | No current rhinitis(n = 581),n (% exposed) | OR* (95% CI) |
| Animal exposures | |||
| Working in swine areas | 262 (16) | 70 (12) | 1.23 (0.91 to 1.66) |
| Working in poultry areas | 39 (2) | 9 (2) | 1.57 (0.74 to 3.34) |
| Beef cattle | 195 (12) | 66 (11) | 1.00 (0.73 to 1.38) |
| Dairy cattle | 32 (2) | 8 (1) | 1.28 (0.57 to 2.88) |
| Hogs | 191 (12) | 59 (10) | 1.07 (0.77 to 1.49) |
| Sheep | 41 (3) | 11 (2) | 1.30 (0.65 to 2.59) |
| Butchering animals | 235 (14) | 45 (8) | 1.77 (1.25 to 2.49) |
| Veterinary services | 269 (16) | 84 (15) | 1.11 (0.84 to 1.48) |
| Grain exposures | |||
| Handling stored grain | 745 (45) | 235 (40) | 1.19 (0.97 to 1.47) |
| Handling stored hay | 434 (26) | 121 (21) | 1.18 (0.92 to 1.51) |
| Grinding animal feed | 370 (22) | 113 (19) | 1.14 (0.88 to 1.47) |
| Loading or unloading silage | 136 (8) | 41 (7) | 1.04 (0.71 to 1.52) |
| Corn production | |||
| Field corn | 369 (22) | 131 (23) | 0.99 (0.77 to 1.26) |
| Seed corn | 38 (2) | 15 (3) | 0.83 (0.44 to 1.55) |
| Sweet corn | 70 (4) | 15 (3) | 1.55 (0.87 to 2.78) |
| Popcorn | 19 (1) | 8 (1) | 0.82 (0.35 to 1.93) |
| Other crops | |||
| Alfalfa | 145 (9) | 39 (7) | 1.35 (0.92 to 1.98) |
| Hay | 164 (10) | 45 (8) | 1.34 (0.93 to 1.93) |
| Oats | 122 (7) | 33 (6) | 1.25 (0.83 to 1.90) |
| Soybeans | 318 (19) | 123 (21) | 0.89 (0.69 to 1.14) |
| Maintenance activities | |||
| Repairing engines | 710 (43) | 200 (34) | 1.30 (1.06 to 1.60) |
| Welding | 898 (54) | 258 (44) | 1.39 (1.14 to 1.71) |
| Painting | 1205 (72) | 348 (60) | 1.56 (1.27 to 1.92) |
| Replacing asbestos brake linings | 232 (14) | 66 (11) | 1.26 (0.93 to 1.70) |
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*Odds ratios were adjusted for age, education status and growing up on a farm.
