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Table 1 Numbers of upper and lower respiratory tract infections during past 12 months in people with newly-onset adult asthma according to the occupation in the FEAS

From: Occupation and occurrence of respiratory infections among adults with newly diagnosed asthma

Occupation

Total Na

Common cold mean number (95% CI)a

Common cold n (%)a,b

Tonsillitis n (%)a,b

Sinusitis n (%)a,b

Otitis media n (%)a,b

URTI n (%)a,b

Acute bronchitis n (%)a,b

Pneumonia n (%)a,b

LRTI n (%)a,b

2 Bakers and food processors

7

2.00 (0.0, 4.33)

4 (57.1)

0 (0.0)

1 (14.3)

3 (42.9)

3 (42.9)

1 (14.3)

1 (14.3)

1 (14.3)

3 Chemical industry workers

4

2.25 (0.0, 5.26)

4 (100.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (25.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (25.0)

2 (50.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (50.0)

4 Cleaners

31

1.45 (0.82, 2.08)

18 (58.1)

2 (6.5)

12 (38.7)

1 (3.2)

13 (41.9)

13 (41.9)

2 (6.5)

13 (41.9)

5 Construction and mining workers

13

2.54 (1.29, 3.79)

11 (84.6)

0 (0.0)

4 (30.8)

2 (15.4)

5 (38.5)

4 (30.8)

1 (7.7)

4 (30.8)

6 Day-care workers

10

1.70 (0.27, 3.13)

6 (60.0)

2 (20.0)

5 (50.0)

1 (10.0)

6 (60.0)

3 (30.0)

0 (0.0)

3 (30.0)

7 Dentists and dental workers

3

0.67 (0.0, 3.54)

1 (33.3)

0 (0.0)

1 (33.3)

0 (0.0)

1 (33.3)

1 (33.3)

0 (0.0)

1 (33.3)

8 Drivers

6

1.50 (0.0, 3.09)

4 (66.7)

0 (0.0)

2 (33.3)

0 (0.0)

2 (33.3)

3 (50.0)

1 (16.7)

3 (50.0)

9 Electrical and electronic production workers

8

1.25 (0.09, 2.41)

4 (50.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (25.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (25.0)

2 (25.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (25.0)

10 Engine workshop workers

7

1.71 (0.83, 2.59)

6 (85.7)

1 (14.3)

3 (42.9)

0 (0.0)

3 (42.9)

2 (28.6)

0 (0.0)

2 (28.6)

11 Farmers and agricultural workers

15

1.93 (0.94, 2.93)

12 (80.0)

2 (13.3)

5 (33.3)

0 (0.0)

6 (40.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (13.3)

2 (13.3)

12 Forestry and related workers

3

3.33 (0.0, 15.59)

2 (66.7)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (33.3)

1 (33.3)

13 Fur and leather workers

4

1.25 (0.0, 3.64)

2 (50.0)

1 (25.0)

3 (75.0)

1 (25.0)

3 (75.0)

2 (50.0)

1 (25.0)

3 (75.0)

14 Glass, ceramic, and mineral workers

2

0.50 (0.0, 6.85)

1 (50.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (100.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (100.0)

15 Hairdressers

5

2.20 (0.58, 3.82)

5 (100.0)

2 (40.0)

3 (60.0)

0 (0.0)

3 (60.0)

1 (20.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (20.0)

16 Housewives

5

3.20 (1.36, 5.04)

5 (100.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (20.0)

1 (20.0)

2 (40.0)

1 (20.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (20.0)

17 Laboratory technicians

2

2.50 (0.0, 8.85)

2 (100.0)

1 (50.0)

2 (100.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (100.0)

1 (50.0)

1 (50.0)

1 (50.0)

18 Metal workers

25

2.00 (1.32, 2.68)

20 (80.0)

1 (4.0)

5 (20.0)

0 (0.0)

6 (24.0)

12 (48.0)

1 (4.0)

12 (48.0)

19 Maternity leave

1

3.00 (NA)

1 (100.0)

1 (100.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (100.0)

1 (100.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

20 Nurses and nursing associates

27

2.15 (1.51, 2.79)

22 (81.5)

2 (7.4)

10 (37.0)

0 (0.0)

10 (37.0)

7 (25.9)

1 (3.7)

7 (25.9)

21 Painters

2

2.00 (0.0, 14.7)

2 (100.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

22 Physicians

2

1.00 (NA)

2 (100.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (50.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (50.0)

23 Printers

2

1.50 (0.0, 7.85)

2 (100.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (50.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (50.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

24 Rubber and plastic workers

8

1.38 (0.49, 2.26)

6 (75.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (25.0)

0 (0.0)

2 (25.0)

1 (12.5)

0 (0.0)

1 (12.5)

25 Retired

39

1.36 (0.89, 1.83)

27 (69.2)

2 (5.1)

10 (25.6)

4 (10.3)

14 (35.9)

19 (48.7)

1 (2.6)

20 (51.3)

26 Sick leave

1

1.00 (NA)

1 (100.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

27 Storage workers

7

1.57 (0.0, 3.25)

5 (71.4)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

1 (14.3)

1 (14.3)

1 (14.3)

0 (0.0)

1 (14.3)

28 Students

30

2.47 (1.86, 3.08)

27 (90.0)

2 (6.7)

8 (26.7)

2 (6.7)

12 (40.0)

9 (30.0)

1 (3.3)

9 (30.0)

29 Textile workers

9

2.11 (0.99, 3.23)

8 (88.9)

0 (0.0)

1 (11.1)

0 (0.0)

1 (11.1)

2 (22.2)

0 (0.0)

2 (22.2)

30 Other occupations

38

2.00 (1.31, 2.69)

29 (76.3)

3 (7.9)

10 (26.3)

5 (13.2)

12 (31.6)

17 (44.7)

0 (0.0)

17 (44.7)

31 Unemployed

24

2.42 (1.54, 3.30)

22 (91.7)

1 (4.2)

6 (25.0)

4 (16.7)

8 (33.3)

7 (29.2)

1 (4.2)

7 (29.2)

32 Waiters

13

2.00 (0.98, 3.02)

10 (76.9)

1 (7.7)

4 (30.8)

1 (0.2)

5 (38.5)

5 (38.5)

0 (0.0)

5 (38.5)

33 Wood and paper workers

9

1.44 (0.67, 2.22)

7 (77.8)

0 (0.0)

1 (11.1)

1 (11.1)

2 (22.2)

2 (22.2)

0 (0.0)

2 (22.2)

1 Professionals, clerks, and administrative (REFERENCE)

130

1.70 (1.41, 1.99)

99 (76.2)

11 (8.5)

35 (26.9)

10 (7.7)

41 (31.5)

49 (37.7)

4 (3.1)

50 (38.5)

TOTAL

492

1.85 (1.70, 2.00)

377 (76.6)

35 (7.11)

138 (28.1)

38 (7.7)

168 (34.2)

170 (34.6)

19 (3.9)

176 (35.8)

Occupation missing

17

2.06 (1.20, 2.92)

14 (82.4)

1 (5.9)

2 (11.8)

1 (5.9)

4 (25.5)

6 (35.3)

1 (5.9)

6 (35.3)

  1. Abbreviations: FEAS Finnish Environment and Asthma Study, LRTI Lower respiratory tract infection, URTI Upper respiratory tract infection
  2. aInformation on infections missing for altogether 12 participants: 3 professionals, clerks and administrative, 1 chemical industry worker, 1 cleaner, 2 metal workers, 2 retired, 1 unemployed, 2 with occupation missing
  3. bNumber of participants with at least one infection
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