Painting, ETS and building age as related to incidence of respiratory symptoms

Abstract

Background: Few prospective studies exist on respiratory health associations for home environment factors. Aims: To study associations between home environment factors and adult incident of respiratory symptoms, asthma and rhinitis. Methods: A cohort of 11,506 adults from Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Estonia in the RHINE study participated in a questionnaire survey at baseline (1999-2000) and 10 years later (2010-2012), with questions on respiratory health and the home environment. Multiple logistic regression models were applied to estimate onset and remission of symptoms, adjusting for age, gender, smoking, BMI, education and dampness/mould at home. Results: Weekly environment tobacco smoke (ETS) (baseline or follow up) was associated with incidence of wheeze (OR=1.49, 95% CI 1.21-1.83), nocturnal cough (OR=1.31, 95%CI 1.09-1.58) and productive cough (OR=1.39, 95%CI 1.12-1.73), and floor painting at baseline was associated with productive cough (OR=1.64, 95%CI 1.15-2.32). Respiratory symptoms were generally less common in those living in building constructed after 1960. Building year 1961-1975: nocturnal cough (OR=0.83, 95%CI 0.70-0.99); building year 1976-1985: wheeze (OR=0.80, 95%CI 0.64-0.999), nocturnal cough (OR=0.78, 95%CI 0.65-0.94) and doctor diagnosed asthma (OR=0.67, 95%CI 0.49-0.91); building year 1986-2001: nocturnal cough (OR=0.75, 95%CI 0.62-0.90) and rhinitis symptoms (OR=1.34, 95%CI 0.62-0.90) (reference: building year ≤1960). Conclusions: ETS, floor painting and living in a house built before 1960 were all associated with higher incidence of respiratory symptoms among adults over a 10-year period. Living in newer buildings was associated with higher incidence of allergic rhinitis.