RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Hay fever and asthma symptoms in conventional and organic farmers in The Netherlands
JF Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JO Occup Environ Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 101
OP 107
DO 10.1136/oem.2006.028167
VO 64
IS 2
A1 Smit, Lidwien A M
A1 Zuurbier, Moniek
A1 Doekes, Gert
A1 Wouters, Inge M
A1 Heederik, Dick
A1 Douwes, Jeroen
YR 2007
UL http://oem.bmj.com/content/64/2/101.abstract
AB Background: Farming has been associated with respiratory symptoms and with protection against atopy. To date, effects of organic farming on respiratory health have not been studied. Aims: To (1) compare hay fever and asthma-like symptoms in organic and conventional farmers and (2) assess associations between current and childhood farm exposures and respiratory health effects by conducting a survey. Methods: Questionnaire data from 1205 conventional and 593 organic farmers were evaluated. Associations between health effects and farm exposures were assessed by logistic regression analyses. Results: Organic farmers reported less wheezing with shortness of breath and slightly more hay fever than conventional farmers. However, organic farming was not an independent determinant of hay fever when adjusted for farming practices and potential confounders. Livestock farmers who grew up on a farm had a threefold lower prevalence of hay fever than crop farmers without a farm childhood (odds ratio (OR) 0.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.1 to 0.5). Both crop farmers who grew up on a farm and livestock farmers who did not grow up on a farm had a reduced prevalence, although less pronounced and not statistically significant. Use of disinfectants containing quaternary ammonium compounds was positively related to hay fever (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1 to 4.4). No effects of farming practices were found for asthma. Conclusions: Our study adds to the evidence that a farm childhood in combination with current livestock farming protects against allergic disorders. This effect was found for both organic and conventional farmers.