Prevalence of chronic bronchitis in farm and nonfarm rural residents in Saskatchewan.

Abstract

To determine the prevalence of chronic bronchitis (CB) and associated risk factors in farm and nonfarm rural residents in Saskatchewan, Canada. The questionnaire collected information about health, contextual, and individual factors from 8261 farm and nonfarm adult residents (18 years and older). The prevalence of CB was 5.3% among farm residents and 6.4% among nonfarm residents. We found a greater prevalence of CB associated with household income adequacy, increasing age, allergies, history of lung disease in a parent, exposure to stubble smoke, obesity, prenatal exposure to smoking, and female sex. Smoking interacted with occupational exposure to wood dust and solvents, and allergic reaction to molds. The results suggest that increasing household income and reducing smoking could be primary, modifiable determinants of CB prevalence.