Associations between workplaces and asthma and respiratory symptoms among current cleaners (N=761)
| n (%) | Current asthma | Wheeze without having a cold | Asthma score* | Chronic cough | |||||
| Pr (%) | OR (95% CI) | Pr (%) | OR (95% CI) | Mean | MR (95% CI) | Pr (%) | OR (95% CI) | ||
| Unexposed group A† | 70 (8) | 6 | 10 | 0.42 | 12 | ||||
| Unexposed group B‡ | 147 (18) | 9 | 4 | 0.44 | 9 | ||||
| Unexposed group C (reference)§ | 217 (26) | 8 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0.42 | 1 | 10 | 1 |
| Workplace | |||||||||
| Private homes | 233 (28) | 12 | 1.5 (0.7 to 3.0) | 11 | 2.2 (1.0 to 4.8) | 0.69 | 1.7 (1.1 to 2.5) | 13 | 1.2 (0.6 to 2.3) |
| Common areas in apartment buildings | 212 (25) | 12 | 1.4 (0.7 to 2.8) | 13 | 2.4 (1.1 to 5.2) | 0.59 | 1.4 (0.9 to 2.3) | 11 | 0.9 (0.5 to 1.9) |
| Hospitals | 204 (24) | 16 | 2.1 (1.1 to 4.2) | 15 | 2.9 (1.3 to 6.3) | 0.79 | 1.8 (1.2 to 2.8) | 13 | 1.2 (0.6 to 2.3) |
| Industry | 198 (24) | 9 | 1.1 (0.5 to 2.3) | 14 | 2.4 (1.1 to 5.1) | 0.66 | 1.5 (0.9 to 2.3) | 9 | 0.8 (0.4 to 1.6) |
| Outdoors | 186 (22) | 11 | 1.5 (0.7 to 3.1) | 14 | 2.6 (1.2 to 5.7) | 0.68 | 1.7 (1.1 to 2.6) | 9 | 0.8 (0.4 to 1.7) |
| Kitchens | 178 (21) | 12 | 1.5 (0.7 to 3.0) | 13 | 2.5 (1.1 to 5.7) | 0.72 | 1.6 (1.1 to 2.5) | 11 | 1.1 (0.5 to 2.3) |
| Schools | 177 (21) | 6 | 0.7 (0.3 to 1.7) | 13 | 2.0 (0.9 to 4.6) | 0.51 | 1.2 (0.7 to 1.9) | 13 | 1.3 (0.6 to 2.5) |
| Laboratories | 136 (16) | 12 | 1.4 (0.7 to 3.2) | 9 | 1.8 (0.7 to 4.5) | 0.58 | 1.4 (0.8 to 2.3) | 9 | 0.8 (0.3 to 1.8) |
| Other healthcare settings | 88 (10) | 13 | 1.6 (0.7 to 3.8) | 11 | 2.3 (0.9 to 6.0) | 0.77 | 1.8 (1.0 to 3.2) | 15 | 1.4 (0.6 to 3.1) |
| Number of different workplaces | |||||||||
| 1–3 Different workplaces | 437 (53) | 10 | 1.2 (0.6 to 2.2) | 12 | 2.2 (1.1 to 4.4) | 0.59 | 1.4 (0.9 to 2.0) | 13 | 1.2 (0.7 to 2.2) |
| 4–9 Different workplaces | 151 (18) | 13 | 1.7 (0.8 to 3.7) | 15 | 2.6 (1.2 to 5.9) | 0.73 | 1.8 (1.1 to 2.8) | 10 | 0.9 (0.4 to 1.9) |
| p Value for linear trend | 0.16 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.87 | |||||
OR and 95% CI from logistic regression models for each workplace adjusted for age, nationality, sex and smoking status. Each individual may be represented in more than one category. Group C was used as the reference category for all comparisons.
↵* Mean ratio (MR) and 95% CI from negative binomial regression models for each workplace adjusted for age, nationality, sex and smoking status.
↵† Group A: never cleaners.
↵‡ Group B: current cleaners who have not worked in any of the listed workplaces during the last year.
↵§ Group C: never cleaners AND current cleaners who have not worked in any of the listed workplaces during the last year (group A+group B).
Pr (%), prevalence.