TABLE 3.

ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES AND ASTHMA AMONG TEXAS HEALTH CARE WORKERS: FINAL MULTIVARIABLE LOGISTIC REGRESSION MODELS^*

		Odds Ratio (95% CI)†
Occupational Exposure	n (%)	Reported Asthma‡	BHR-related Symptoms§
Cleaning agents
Used in patient care	2,705 (98.8)	1.60 (0.18–14.16)	0.79 (0.35–1.78)
Instrument cleaning	1,257 (45.9)	2.22 (1.34–3.67)	1.26 (0.95–1.67)
Surface cleaners	1,943 (71.0)	2.02 (1.20–3.40)	1.63 (1.21–2.19)
Latex
Pre-1992	1,907 (69.7)	2.04 (0.87–4.75)	1.04 (0.72–1.51)
1992–2000	1,556 (56.8)	2.17 (1.27–3.73)	1.26 (0.93–1.72)
After 2000	88 (3.2)	0.42 (0.13–1.29)	0.61 (0.34–1.11)
Aerosolized medications	1,255 (45.8)	1.72 (1.05–2.83)	1.40 (1.06–1.84)
Adhesives/solvents/gases
Used in patient care	1,921 (70.2)	1.68 (0.99–2.86)	1.65 (1.22–2.24)
On surfaces	581 (21.2)	0.59 (0.26–1.33)	0.98 (0.64–1.51)
Miscellaneous	869 (31.7)	0.53 (0.32–0.88)	0.78 (0.60–1.01)
Spill at work	163 (6.0)	1.23 (0.53–2.87)	2.02 (1.28–3.21)

Definition of abbreviations: BHR = bronchial hyperresponsiveness; CI = confidence interval.

Total n = 2,738 in the analytic sample. Values shown in boldface are statistically significant.

^*Adjusted for seniority (quartiles), race/ethnicity, body mass index, and atopy; weighted survey samples.

^†Goodness-of-fit, assessed through F-adjusted mean residual test for sample survey data, p > 0.05 for all models. Reference category for all exposure variables is the absence of such exposure.

^‡Self-reported history of physician-diagnosed asthma, with onset after entry into the health care profession.

^§Eight-item predictor for BHR, PC₂₀ ⩽ 4 mg/ml.