Asthma and allergy in New Zealand farmers.
Abstract: To examine the prevalence of symptoms of asthma and allergy in different farming groups in New Zealand. Methods: A postal questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 2,500 farmers throughout New Zealand. Results: The response rate was 77% (1,706 of 2,203 eligibles). The 12-month period prevalence of current asthma was 11.8% overall, compared with 15% in the general population. Asthma prevalence was higher for horse breeders/groomers (16.5%), pig farmers (18.2%), poultry farmers (17.4%), and those working with oats (17.4%). Asthma was also significantly elevated among those working with cleaning powders (14.7%). Women were more likely to report current asthma than were men (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.3-2.5). Hay fever was significantly higher in deer and crop farmers, and farmers working with horses and goats; eczema was higher for goat and deer farmers. Conclusions: The lower overall prevalence of asthma in farmers may be due to the healthy worker effect. Among farmers, the types of farming associated with an elevated prevalence of asthma and allergy in New Zealand are deer and goat farming, working with horses, poultry, pigs, and crop farming. Females reported more current asthma than males.
Publication Date: 1999-01-13 PubMed ID: 9884745DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0274(199901)35:1<51::aid-ajim7>3.0.co;2-fGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research paper investigates the rates of asthma and allergies among different farmer groups in New Zealand. It found that horse breeders, pig farmers, poultry farmers, oat workers, and those working with cleaning powders have a higher prevalence of asthma, with women reported to have more current asthma than men. The paper also suggests that the healthy worker effect might be the reason for the lower overall prevalence of asthma in farmers.
Research Methods
- The researchers developed a postal questionnaire which was sent to a random sample of 2,500 farmers scattered throughout New Zealand.
- They received a 77% response rate from the recipients which means a collective response from 1,706 eligible farmers participated in providing data for the research.
Results
- The research revealed that the 12-month period prevalence of current asthma was at 11.8% amongst farmers as compared to the 15% in the general population.
- It further noticed that the prevalence of asthma was significantly higher in specific farming practices such as horse breeding/grooming (16.5%), pig farming (18.2%), poultry farming (17.4%), and those working with oats (17.4%).
- The prevalence of asthma was also elevated amongst users of cleaning powders (14.7%).
- The study discovered that females (with odds ratio of 1.8, 95% CI 1.3-2.5) were more likely to report current asthma than their male counterparts.
- Farmers who handle deer and crops, and those who work with horses and goats, reported significantly higher rates of hay fever. Goat and deer farmers also recorded higher instances of eczema.
Conclusions
- The researchers proposed that the lower overall prevalence of asthma amongst farmers could be a result of the healthy worker effect.
- From the study, it was ascertained that particular farming practices were associated with elevated prevalence of asthma and allergies in New Zealand. These include deer and goat farming, working with horses, poultry, pigs, and crop farming.
- The research also underscores that females reported a higher prevalence of current asthma as compared to males.
Cite This Article
APA
Kimbell-Dunn M, Bradshaw L, Slater T, Erkinjuntti-Pekkanen R, Fishwick D, Pearce N.
(1999).
Asthma and allergy in New Zealand farmers.
Am J Ind Med, 35(1), 51-57.
https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1097-0274(199901)35:1<51::aid-ajim7>3.0.co;2-f Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Medicine, Wellington School of Medicine, New Zealand.
MeSH Terms
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Aged
- Agricultural Workers' Diseases / epidemiology
- Asthma / epidemiology
- Female
- Humans
- Male
- Middle Aged
- New Zealand / epidemiology
- Prevalence
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Coffman VR, Hall DJ, Pisanic N, Love DC, Nadimpalli M, McCormack M, Diener-West M, Davis MF, Heaney CD. Self-reported work activities, eye, nose, and throat symptoms, and respiratory health outcomes among an industrial hog operation worker cohort, North Carolina, USA. Am J Ind Med 2021 May;64(5):403-413.
- Baran Ketencioğlu B, Yilmaz I, Tutar N, Gülmez I, Oymak FS. Horse allergen sensitivity and respiratory symptoms among horse farm workers. Turk J Med Sci 2020 Jun 23;50(4):910-916.
- Li J, Li Y, Tian D, Yang H, Dong L, Zhu L. The association of self-reported respiratory system diseases with farming activity among farmers of greenhouse vegetables. J Int Med Res 2019 Jul;47(7):3140-3150.
- Heederik D, Sigsgaard T, Thorne PS, Kline JN, Avery R, Bønløkke JH, Chrischilles EA, Dosman JA, Duchaine C, Kirkhorn SR, Kulhankova K, Merchant JA. Health effects of airborne exposures from concentrated animal feeding operations. Environ Health Perspect 2007 Feb;115(2):298-302.
- Gallagher LM, Crane J, Fitzharris P, Bates MN. Occupational respiratory health of New Zealand horse trainers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2007 Feb;80(4):335-41.
- Naleway AL. Asthma and atopy in rural children: is farming protective?. Clin Med Res 2004 Feb;2(1):5-12.
- Radon K, Winter C. Prevalence of respiratory symptoms in sheep breeders. Occup Environ Med 2003 Oct;60(10):770-3.
- Hoppin JA, Umbach DM, London SJ, Alavanja MC, Sandler DP. Animal production and wheeze in the Agricultural Health Study: interactions with atopy, asthma, and smoking. Occup Environ Med 2003 Aug;60(8):e3.
- Douwes J, Pearce N, Heederik D. Does environmental endotoxin exposure prevent asthma?. Thorax 2002 Jan;57(1):86-90.
- Kirkhorn SR, Garry VF. Agricultural lung diseases. Environ Health Perspect 2000 Aug;108 Suppl 4(Suppl 4):705-12.
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