Occupational cold exposure is associated with increased reporting of airway symptoms.
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ABSTRACT: Objective
To determine if exposure to cold environments, during work or leisure time, was associated with increased reporting of airway symptoms in the general population of northern Sweden.Methods
Through a population-based postal survey responded to by 12627 subjects, ages 18-70, living in northern Sweden, the occurrence of airway symptoms was investigated. Cold exposure during work or leisure time was self-reported on numerical rating scales. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the statistical association between cold exposure and airway symptoms.Results
For currently working subjects (N = 8740), reporting any occupational cold exposure was associated to wheeze (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.1-1.4); chronic cough (OR 1.2; 95% CI 1.1-1.4); and productive cough (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.1-1.4), after adjusting for gender, age, body mass index, daily smoking, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Leisure-time cold exposure was not significantly associated to reporting airway symptoms.Conclusions
Occupational cold exposure was an independent predictor of airway symptoms in northern Sweden. Therefore, a structured risk assessment regarding cold exposure could be considered for inclusion in the Swedish workplace legislation.
SUBMITTER: Stjernbrandt A
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8490236 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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