Table 2.

Odds ratio (OR) estimates of relative risk from multivariable logistic analysis of demographic and other health problems that may affect the risk of chemosensory problems (either a chronic smell problem only, a chronic taste problem only, or both chronic smell and taste problems), based on respondent’s self report (no proxy responses) in the NHIS–D, 1994–1995 (n=81,840)

	Chronic smell problem only	Chronic taste problem only	Chronic smell and taste problems
Risk factors	OR	OR	OR
Age (years)
18–24	1.30	0.65	1.05
25–34	1.00	1.00	1.00
35–44	1.17	2.14	1.81
45–54	1.51	2.47	1.54
55–64	1.82^*	3.42^*	2.29^*
65–74	2.02^*	3.22^*	2.13^*
75–84	2.29^*	3.61^*	2.45^*
85+	2.22^*	4.06^*	2.93^*
Sex
Female	1.00	1.00	1.00
Male	1.22^*	0.88	0.90
Race/ethnicity
NH^† white	1.00	1.00	1.00
NH^† black	0.51^*	1.31	0.89
Hispanic	0.49^*	1.26	0.65
Other	0.87	1.09	1.10
Trouble with hearing
No	1.00	1.00	1.00
Yes	2.30^*	1.68^*	2.46^*
Trouble with vision
No	1.00	1.00	1.00
Yes	1.55^*	2.74^*	2.40^*
Functional limitations
No	1.00	1.00	1.00
Yes	2.70^*	4.47^*	4.34^*
Depression in last year
No	1.00	1.00	1.00
Yes	2.36^*	4.33^*	3.43^*

^†

NH = non-Hispanic

Statistical significance:

(p ≤ 0.001)