TABLE 1.
Characteristics of the Respondents to the Veterans Questionnaire Who Had Complete Exposure Information (N = 2,628)
| Characteristic | N | % |
|---|---|---|
| Smoking | ||
| Current | 679 | 26 |
| Former | 1373 | 52 |
| Never | 536 | 20 |
| Missing | 40 | 2 |
| Occupational dust | ||
| Yes | 1223 | 47 |
| No | 1261 | 48 |
| Missing | 144 | 5 |
| Residential Designation | ||
| Urban | 2203 | 84 |
| Rural | 425 | 16 |
| Education | ||
| <12th Grade | 706 | 27 |
| 12th Grade | 1011 | 38 |
| >12th Grade | 858 | 33 |
| Missing | 53 | 2 |
| Employment status | ||
| Employed | 996 | 38 |
| Unemployed | 144 | 5 |
| Retired | 1458 | 55 |
| Missing | 30 | 1 |
| Usual job classification | ||
| Managerial and professional | 565 | 21 |
| Technical, sales, administrative support | 566 | 22 |
| Service occupation | 287 | 11 |
| Agriculture, crafts, machine operators, transportation | 877 | 33 |
| Missing | 332 | 13 |
| Distance to major road (meters) | ||
| ≤50 | 602 | 23 |
| >50–100 | 262 | 10 |
| >100–200 | 486 | 18 |
| >200–300 | 332 | 13 |
| >300–400 | 234 | 9 |
| >400 | 712 | 27 |
| Respiratory symptoms | ||
| Persistent wheeze | 751/2,432 | 31 |
| Chronic cough | 522/2,393 | 22 |
| Chronic phlegm | 622/2,335 | 27 |
| Chronic diseases* | ||
| Asthma | 143/2,094 | 7 |
| COPD† | 349/2,149 | 16 |
| Asthma or COPD | 409/2,151 | 19 |
| Myocardial infarction or angina | 475/2,255 | 21 |
| Other heart disorders | 312/2,067 | 15 |
*
Self-report of doctor-confirmed disorders.
†
Self-report of doctor-confirmed chronic bronchitis or emphysema.