Table 1.
Multiple chemical sensitivity prevalence rates among studies.
| Authors | Year | Population | Estimated Prevalence (%) | Sample Size | Age (Yrs) | % Male | Medical Diagnosis or Self-Report * |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gyntelberg et al. [106] | 1986 | Denmark | 12.5 | 50 | NA ** | 86 | Medical |
| Cullen et al. [57] | 1987 | US: Yale Occup clinic | 1.8 | 2759 | 22–60 | 32 | Medical |
| Bell et al. [107] | 1993 | US: Arizona | 15 | 643 | Mean: 18.6 | 21 | Self-report |
| Kipen et al. [108] | 1995 | US; Hospital Waiting Rooms | 5.5 | 705 | 28–66 | 31 | Self-report |
| Lax and Henneberger [109] | 1995 | US: Syracuse NY | 5.8 | 605 | 14% ≤ 35 71% 36–50 14% > 50 |
20 | Medical |
| Bell et al. [88] | 1996 | US | 15 | 809 | 19.1 | 40 | Self-report |
| Meggs et al [110] | 1996 | US: Rural NC | 33 | 1027 | 34% <40 37% 40–64 22% > 64 |
39 | Self-report |
| Baldwin et al. [111] | 1999 | US: Arizona | 23 | 181 | 15–50+ | 39 | Self-report |
| Kipen at al. [112]] | 1999 | US: Gulf Registry Vets | 13.1 | 1161 | Mean: 35.2 | 91 | Self-report |
| Kreutzer et al. [93] | 1999 | US: California | 6.3 | 4046 | >17 | 32 | Medical |
| Kreutzer et al. [93] | 1999 | US: California | 11.9 | 4046 | >17 | 26 | Self-report |
| Caress and Steinemann [113] | 2003 | US: National Sample | 3.1 | 1582 | <20 to >50 | 39 | Medical |
| Caress and Steinemann [113] | 2003 | US: National Sample | 12.6 | 1582 | <20 to >50 | 39 | Self-report |
| Haussteiner [114] | 2005 | Germany: Nat’l Sample | 0.5 | 2032 | >15 | NR | Medical |
| Haussteiner [114] | 2005 | Germany: Nat’l Sample | 9.5 | 2032 | >15 | NR | Self-report |
| Sears [18] | 2007 | Canada: Nat’s Sample | 2.9 | 135.573 | 30+ | NR | Medical |
| Park and Knudson [115] | 2007 | Canada: National pop | 2.4 | 643 | 12 to >65 | 28 | Medical |
| Berg et al. [116] | 2008 | Denmark | 27 | 4242 | 18–69 | 46 | Self-report |
| Fitzgerald [117] | 2008 | Australia: South Aust. | 0.9 | 4009 | 18–75+ | 23 | Self-report * |
| Caress and Steinemann [118] | 2009 | US: National Sample | 11.6 | 1057 | <20 to >50 | 35.4 | Self-report |
| Steinemann [95] | 2019 | US; National Sample | 12.8 | 1137 | 18–65 | 58 | Medical |
| Steinemann [95] | 2019 | Australia: Nat’l Sample | 6.5 | 1098 | 18–65 | 48 | Medical |
| Steinemann [95] | 2019 | England: Nat’l Sample | 6.6 | 1100 | 18–65 | 59 | Medical |
| Steinemann [95] | 2019 | Sweden: Nat’l Sample | 3.6 | 1100 | 18–65 | 60 | Medical |
| Petersen et al. [119] | 2020 | Danish: Nat’l Sample | 0.9 | 1590 | 44–63 | 41 | Medical |
* Based on question of whether a medical doctor has told them they have MCS or related disorders. ** Not available.