Odds ratios for wheeze in the past year and animal production activities among farmers in the Agricultural Health Study, 1994–97
| Wheeze n=3838 | No wheeze n=16630 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal production exposures | n | % | n | % | Odds ratio† | 95% CI |
| †Odds ratios adjusted for age, state, smoking (past and current), atopy-asthma status, and asthma*current smoking. | ||||||
| Referent group is those who did not participate in that activity. | ||||||
| ‡At least once in the past year; at least once per month for milking cows. | ||||||
| Animals raised | ||||||
| Beef cattle | 1474 | 38.4 | 6430 | 38.7 | 1.06 | 0.98 to 1.14 |
| Dairy cattle | 231 | 6 | 899 | 5.4 | 1.26 | 1.08 to 1.48 |
| Hogs | 1256 | 32.7 | 5642 | 33.9 | 1.13 | 1.03 to 1.23 |
| Sheep | 149 | 3.9 | 642 | 3.9 | 1.10 | 0.91 to 1.34 |
| Poultry | 188 | 4.9 | 576 | 3.5 | 1.36 | 1.13 to 1.62 |
| Eggs | 75 | 2 | 201 | 1.2 | 1.70 | 1.28 to 2.26 |
| Any animal | 2297 | 59.9 | 10041 | 60.4 | 1.13 | 1.04 to 1.23 |
| Grain handling activities‡ | ||||||
| Grind animal feed | 1721 | 44.8 | 7668 | 46.1 | 1.14 | 1.05 to 1.24 |
| Handle stored grain | 2656 | 69.2 | 11778 | 70.8 | 1.13 | 1.02 to 1.24 |
| Handle stored hay | 2217 | 57.8 | 9502 | 57.1 | 1.10 | 1.02 to 1.19 |
| Load/unload silage | 784 | 20.4 | 3423 | 20.6 | 1.09 | 0.99 to 1.20 |
| Animal contact activities‡ | ||||||
| Butcher animals | 606 | 15.8 | 2030 | 12.2 | 1.31 | 1.18 to 1.45 |
| Milk cows | 236 | 6.3 | 893 | 5.5 | 1.31 | 1.12 to 1.52 |
| Veterinary procedures | 2042 | 53 | 8806 | 53 | 1.16 | 1.07 to 1.26 |
| Work in swine areas | 1098 | 29 | 4655 | 28.4 | 1.21 | 1.11 to 1.32 |