Table 1.
Univariable association between newly identified subjective EDS and demographic factors, co-morbid conditions, socio economic factors and housing environment.
| Variables | Total n (%) | Newly Diagnosed Subjective EDS | p Value | Crude OR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes n (%) | No n (%) | ||||
| Demographics | |||||
| Sex | |||||
| Male | 151 (47.6) | 12 (50.0) | 139 (47.4) | 0.812 | 1.11 (0.48, 2.55) |
| Female | 166 (52.4) | 12 (50.0) | 154 (52.6) | 1.00 | |
| Age group | |||||
| 18–35 years | 170 (53.6) | 12 (50.0) | 158 (53.9) | 0.866 | 0.87 (0.18, 4.32) |
| 36–55 years | 122 (38.5) | 10 (41.7) | 112 (38.2) | 0.976 | 1.02 (0.20, 5.15) |
| >55 years | 25 (7.9) | 2 (8.3) | 23 (7.8) | 1.00 | |
| Education level | |||||
| Less than high school | 156 (49.4) | 14 (58.4) | 142 (48.6) | 0.425 | 1.54 (0.53, 4.41) |
| Completed high school | 77 (24.4) | 5 (20.8) | 72 (24.7) | 0.907 | 1.08 (0.30, 3.93) |
| Post-secondary (university/technical or some) | 83 (26.2) | 5 (20.8) | 78 (26.7) | 1.00 | |
| Marital status | |||||
| Married/common law | 119 (39.0) | 8 (33.3) | 111 (39.5) | 0.550 | 0.77 (0.32, 1.83) |
| Widowed/divorced/separated/single | 186 (61.0) | 16 (66.7) | 170 (60.5) | 1.00 | |
| Body mass index | |||||
| Neither overweight nor obese | 102 (31.1) | 5 (20.8) | 97 (34.2) | 0.341 | 0.58 (0.19, 1.77) |
| Overweight | 95 (30.9) | 10 (41.7) | 85 (29.9) | 0.547 | 1.33 (0.52, 3.39) |
| Obese | 111 (36.0) | 9 (31.5) | 102 (35.9) | 1.00 | |
| Home crowding status | |||||
| More than one person per room | 99 (32.6) | 7 (31.8) | 92 (32.6) | 0.937 | 0.96 (0.39, 2.41) |
| One or less person per room | 205 (67.4) | 15 (68.2) | 190 (67.4) | 1.00 | |
| Alcohol consumption (5 or more drinks at a time) | |||||
| Never | 61 (19.3) | 4 (16.7) | 57 (19.5) | 0.675 | 0.78 (0.24, 2.51) |
| Occasionally | 122 (38.6) | 9 (37.5) | 113 (38.7) | 0.792 | 0.88 (0.35, 2.34) |
| Regularly | 133 (42.1) | 11 (45.8) | 122 (41.8) | 1.00 | |
| Smoking status | |||||
| Current smoking | 265 (83.6) | 20 (83.3) | 245 (83.6) | 0.638 | 0.74 (0.20, 2.64) |
| Ex-smoker | 22 (6.9) | 1 (4.2) | 21 (7.2) | 0.482 | 0.43 (0.04, 4.53) |
| Never smoker | 30 (9.5) | 3 (12.5) | 27 (9.2) | 1.00 | |
| Employment Status | |||||
| Employed (full-time/part-time/seasonally/self-employment) | 73 (23.1) | 3 (12.5) | 70 (24.0) | 0.182 | 0.42 (0.12, 1.49) |
| Student (part-time/full-time) | 24 (7.6) | 1 (4.2) | 23 (7.9) | 0.422 | 0.43 (0.05, 3.37) |
| Unemployed | 219 (69.3) | 20 (83.3) | 199 (68.1) | 1.00 | |
| Co-morbid conditions | |||||
| Shortness of breath | |||||
| Yes | 156 (49.2) | 13 (54.2) | 143 (48.8) | 0.607 | 1.24 (0.54, 2.83) |
| No | 161 (50.8) | 11 (45.8) | 150 (51.2) | 1.00 | |
| Loud snoring | |||||
| Yes | 51 (16.1) | 3 (12.5) | 48 (16.4) | 0.163 | 0.73 (0.21, 2.55) |
| No | 265 (83.9) | 21 (87.5) | 244 (75.4) | 1.00 | |
| Ever Dr. said | |||||
| Chronic lung diseases * | |||||
| Yes | 81 (25.6) | 9 (37.5) | 72 (24.8) | 0.163 | 1.84 (0.78, 4.35) |
| No | 236 (74.4) | 15 (62.2) | 221 (75.2) | 1.00 | |
| Sinus trouble | |||||
| Yes | 85 (30.8) | 7 (31.8) | 78 (30.7) | 0.908 | 1.05 (0.43, 2.58) |
| No | 191 (69.2) | 15 (68.2) | 176 (69.3) | 1.00 | |
| Heart problem | |||||
| Yes | 25 (8.1) | 1 (4.2) | 24 (8.5) | 0.456 | 0.47 (0.07, 3.39) |
| No | 283 (91.9) | 23 (95.8) | 260 (91.5) | 1.00 | |
| Tuberculosis | |||||
| Yes | 24 (8.9) | 1 (4.5) | 23 (9.3) | 0.469 | 0.47 (0.06, 3.65) |
| No | 246 (91.1) | 21 (95.5) | 225 (90.7) | 1.00 | |
| Attack of bronchitis | |||||
| Yes | 81 (29.9) | 5 (22.7) | 76 (30.5) | 0.444 | 0.67 (0.24, 1.86) |
| No | 190 (70.1) | 17 (77.3) | 173 (69.5) | 1.00 | |
| Asthma | |||||
| Yes | 47 (14.8) | 4 (16.7) | 43 (14.7) | 0.794 | 1.16 (0.38, 3.57) |
| No | 270 (85.2) | 20 (83.3) | 250 (85.3) | 1.00 | |
| Diabetes | |||||
| Yes | 42 (13.8) | 5 (20.8) | 37 (13.2) | 0.310 | 1.74 (0.60, 5.04) |
| No | 263 (86.2) | 19 (79.2) | 244 (86.8) | 1.00 | |
| Depression | |||||
| Yes | 61 (19.9) | 7 (29.2) | 54 (19.1) | 0.238 | 1.75 (0.69, 4.42) |
| No | 246 (80.1) | 17 (70.8) | 229 (80.9) | 1.00 | |
| Ear infection | |||||
| Yes | 44 (14.1) | 4 (16.7) | 40 (13.9) | 0.716 | 1.24 (0.39, 3.88) |
| No | 268 (85.9) | 20 (83.3) | 248 (86.1) | 1.00 | |
| Heart burn/Stomach Reflex | |||||
| Yes | 50 (16.0) | 5 (21.7) | 45 (15.5) | 0.440 | 1.51 (0.53, 4.31) |
| No | 263 (84.0) | 18 (78.3) | 253 (84.5) | 1.00 | |
| Socio-economic factors | |||||
| Money left over at the end of month | |||||
| Not enough money | 156 (51.7) | 17 (77.3) | 139 (49.6) | 0.072 | 3.09 (0.91, 10.57) |
| Just enough money | 67 (22.2) | 2 (9.1) | 65 (23.2) | 0.784 | 0.78 (0.13, 4.60) |
| Some money | 79 (26.1) | 3 (13.6) | 76 (27.1) | 1.00 | |
| Housing conditions | |||||
| House in need of repairs | |||||
| Yes (major repair) | 123 (41.4) | 10 (45.5) | 113 (41.1) | 0.086 | 3.86 (0.83, 18.04) |
| Yes (minor repair) | 85 (28.6) | 10 (45.5) | 75 (27.3) | 0.026 | 5.82 (1.23, 27.52) |
| No (only regular maintenance) | 89 (30.0) | 2 (9.1) | 87 (31.6) | 1.00 | |
| In past 12 months, water or dampness in home | |||||
| Yes | 182 (63.4) | 18 (85.7) | 164 (61.7) | 0.035 | 3.73 (1.10, 12.66) |
| No | 106 (36.6) | 3 (14.3) | 102 (38.3) | 1.00 | |
| Damage caused by dampness | |||||
| Yes | 153 (48.3) | 16 (66.7) | 137 (46.8) | 0.061 | 2.28 (0.96, 5.39) |
| No | 164 (51.7) | 8 (33.3) | 156 (53.2) | 1.00 | |
| Mildew/moldy odor or musty smell | |||||
| Yes | 153 (53.9) | 16 (72.7) | 137 (52.3) | 0.075 | 2.43 (0.91, 6.46) |
| No | 131 (46.1) | 6 (27.3) | 125 (47.7) | 1.00 | |
| Signs of mold or mildew in home | |||||
| Yes | 133 (48.0) | 12 (57.1) | 121 (47.3) | 0.385 | 1.49 (0.61, 3.66) |
| No | 144 (52.0) | 9 (42.9) | 135 (52.7) | 1.00 | |
* We used the term “chronic lung diseases” to include one or more of emphysema, chronic bronchitis, chronic cough/chronic phlegm and COPD.