Table 2 Prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma according to the participants’ characteristics and risk factors

Gender

Males

6.9 (4.5–10)

0.8

–

Females

6.5 (4.2–9.5)

Age classes

[16–35]

8.1 (5.3–11.7)

0.1

Reference

[35–55]

7.0 (4.3–10.6)

1.01 (0.46; 2.19)

0.9

55 or above

2.9 (0.8–7.2)

0.56 (0.17; 1.87)

0.3

Body mass index (BMI)

< 25 kg/m²

7.1 (4.5–10.6)

0.9

–

[25–30] kg/m²

6.5 (4.0–9.9)

≥ 30 kg/m²

5.7 (2.1–11.9)

Residence

Beirut

5.9 (0.1–28.7)

0.6

–

Bekaa and Baalback

3.1 (0.9–7.8)

Mount Lebanon

7.3 (4.4–11.3)

Nabatieh

5.0 (0.1–24.9)

North and Akkar

7.5 (4.1–12.5)

South

8.0 (4.0–13.8)

Marital status

Single

8.4 (5.3–12.4)

0.4

–

Married

6.0 (3.9–8.7)

Widowed/divorced

4.3 (0.5–14.5)

Education

≤ Complementary

2.0 (0.4–5.8)

0.04

Reference

Secondary

7.7 (4.4–12.1)

4.45 (1.14; 17.3)

0.03

University

7.9 (5.3–11.1)

3.83 (0.99; 14.8)

0.05

Occupation

Student

7.2 (2.4–16.1)

0.4

–

Currently working

7.1 (5.0–9.9)

Not working

5.9 (2.7–10.9)

Retired

0

CCS

No

7.3 (5.2–9.9)

0.3

–

Yes

5.3 (2.7–9.0)

CWS

No

7.9 (5.9–10.4)

0.009

Reference

0.01

Yes

2.0 (0.4–5.7)

0.17 (0.04; 0.67)

PCS

No

6.4 (4.7–8.4)

0.2

–

Yes

11.9 (4.0–25.6)

PWS

No

6.3 (4.6–8.3)

0.01

Reference

0.4

Yes

21.1 (6.1–45.6)

1.95 (0.46; 8.35)

Indoor allergens

No

6.1 (3.5–9.8)

0.7

–

Yes

7.0 (4.9–9.7)

Indoor air pollution

No

5.6 (2.7–10)

0.5

–

Yes

7.0 (5.0–9.5)

Outdoor allergens

No

5.7 (4.0–7.8)

0.01

Reference

0.2

Yes

12.5 (6.8–20.4)

1.77 (0.75; 4.17)

Outdoor air pollution

No

6.4 (3.8–9.9)

0.8

–

Yes

6.9 (4.7–9.6)

Fruits and vegetables

Once at least daily

5.8 (4.0–8.2)

0.09

Reference

2–3 times/week

7.1 (3.5–12.7)

0.89 (0.36; 2.24)

0.8

< than once/week

12.9 (6.1–23.0)

2.28 (0.90; 5.77)

0.08

Family history of chronic respiratory disease

No

4.5 (3.0–6.5)

 < 0.001

Reference

0.007

Yes

16.7 (10.7–24.1)

2.78 (1.32; 5.83)

Lung problems during childhood

No

4.4 (3.0–6.2)

 < 0.001

Reference

 < 0.001

Yes

35.8 (23.1–50.2)

15.9 (7.02; 35.8)

Allergic rhinitis

No

3.4 (2.0–5.4)

 < 0.001

Reference

 < 0.001

Yes

13.4 (9.3–18.4)

4.19 (2.03; 8.65)