ORs and 95% CIs for selected respiratory health effects by paraquat application status and gender among South Korean farmers in 2008
| Respiratory health effects | Total (n=2882) | Men (n=1947) | Women (n=935) | ||||||
| Applying (n=2508) | Non-applying (n=374) | OR* (95% CI) | Applying (n=1749) | Non-applying (n=198) | OR (95% CI) | Applying (n=759) | Non-applying (n=176) | OR (95% CI) | |
| n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | ||||
| COPD | 54 (2.2) | 4 (1.1) | 1.44 (0.50 to 4.16) | 43 (2.5) | 3 (1.5) | 1.17 (0.35 to 3.95) | 11 (1.5) | 1 (0.6) | 1.75 (0.19 to 15.82) |
| Asthma | 118 (4.7) | 7 (1.9) | 2.18 (0.99 to 4.82) | 93 (5.3) | 5 (2.6) | 1.85 (0.73 to 4.74) | 25 (3.3) | 2 (1.2) | 3.01 (0.68 to 13.41) |
| Wheeze† | 320 (12.8) | 52 (13.9) | 0.75 (0.52 to 1.08) | 226 (12.9) | 30 (15.2) | 0.70 (0.43 to 1.12) | 94 (12.4) | 22 (12.5) | 0.75 (0.42 to 1.37) |
| Shortness of breath | 141 (5.6) | 25 (6.7) | 0.87 (0.54 to 1.40) | 96 (5.5) | 15 (7.6) | 0.74 (0.41 to 1.35) | 45 (5.9) | 10 (5.7) | 1.05 (0.47 to 2.33) |
| Wheeze (exertional)† | 305 (12.2) | 34 (9.1) | 1.16 (0.77 to 1.74) | 209 (12.0) | 18 (9.1) | 1.10 (0.64 to 1.90) | 96 (12.7) | 16 (9.1) | 1.14 (0.61 to 2.15) |
| Allergy rhinitis | 71 (2.8) | 5 (1.4) | 2.00 (0.78 to 5.15) | 49 (2.8) | 3 (1.5) | 1.95 (0.58 to 6.55) | 22 (2.9) | 2 (1.2) | 2.03 (0.43 to 9.51) |
↵* Adjusted for age (<50, 50–59, 60–69, ≥70 years), gender, distance from the oil spill site (>40, 20–40, <20 km), smoking status (never, ≤25.5 pack-years former smoker, >25.5 pack-years former smoker, ≤28 pack-years current smoker, >28 pack-years current smoker for men, never-/former smoker, current smoker for women), alcohol consumption (yes, no), level of education (<elementary, elementary, ≥middle) and the cumulative exposure (no exposure, low, high) of the three pesticides (carbofuran, imidacloprid, isoprothiolane), which are most highly correlated with use of paraquat.
↵† Additionally adjusted for diagnosed history of asthma (yes, no).
COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.