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Table 2 Symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis in the past 12 months - summary of ecological analyses*.

From: Which population level environmental factors are associated with asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema? Review of the ecological analyses of ISAAC Phase One

Ecological Issue

Specific Factor

13-14 Year Age Group

6-7 Year Age Group

  

Direction of effect

P Value

Direction of effect

P Value

Economic development

GNP

+

0.12

0.06

0.32

Diet

Calories from cereals and rice %

-

0.007

-

0.083

 

Protein from cereals and nuts %

-

0.039

-

0.111

 

Starch g/d

-

0.266

-

0.069

 

Vegetables g/d

-

0.083

-

0.453

 

Vegetable Vitamin A μ/d

-

0.085

-

0.479

 

Trans fatty acids

+

< 0.0001

  

Immunisation

Local immunisation rates for DTP#

+

0.002

-

> 0.05

 

Local immunisation rates for measles

-

0.015

-

> 0.05

TB exposure

TB notification rates, WHO

-

0.015

  

Outdoor climate

Altitude

-

> 0.05

-

> 0.05

 

Annual variation in mean temperature

-

> 0.05

-

> 0.05

 

Lowest monthly mean temperature

+

> 0.05

+

> 0.05

 

Annual variation in mean relative humidity

+

> 0.05

-

> 0.05

 

Lowest monthly mean relative humidity

-

> 0.05

-

> 0.05

 

Mean relative humidity of ≥ 1 month < 50%humidity

+

> 0.05

+

> 0.05

Indoor climate

Mean annual relative humidity

+

> 0.05

+

> 0.05

 

Lowest monthly mean relative humidity

+

> 0.05

+

> 0.05

Tobacco smoking

Tobacco consumption, ≥ 15 yrs

-

0.86

+

0.52

 

Tobacco smoking, women

-

0.68

+

0.76

 

Tobacco smoking, men

-

< 0.001

-

0.06

Pollen

Total grass pollen count

-

0.07

  
 

Days with high pollen counts

-

0.14

  

Antibiotic usage

Antibiotic sales per capita

-

0.76

  

Air pollution

PM10

-

0.49

-

0.06

Paracetamol

Per capita paracetamol sales

+

< 0.0005

+

0.002

  1. *standardized for GNP. Where p values are recorded as > 0.05 the non significant p values were not provided in the source publication. #DTP = Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis.
  2. Blank space = data not collected. + = positive association. - = inverse association.