Table 3

Adjusted* OR (ORadj) for respiratory symptoms past 12 months, current use of asthma medication and ever physician-diagnosed asthma by current occupation (ISCO-88)†

Major groups (ISCO-88 first digit)Lower respiratory tract
Total
N		Wheezing
ORadj		Woken with dyspnoea
ORadj		Asthma attack
ORadj		Use of asthma medication
ORadj		At least one symptom last 12 months
ORadj		Physician- diagnosed asthma
ORadj
1. Legislators, senior officials and managers and professionals and armed forces (Groups 0, I and II only)—Reference2204111111
2. Technicians and associated professionals (Group III)30911.2 (1.0 to 1.3)0.95 (0.76 to 1.2)1.4 (1.1 to 1.9)1.2 (0.99 to 1.5)1.1 (0.99 to 1.3)0.95 (0.79 to 1.1)
3. Clerks and Service workers and shop and market sales workers (Groups IV and V)25471.1 (0.95 to 1.3)1.0 (0.82 to 1.3)1.3 (0.95 to 1.8)1.0 (0.82 to 1.3)1.1 (0.93 to 1.2)0.89 (0.74 to 1.1)
4. Skilled agriculture and fishery workers and craft and related trade workers (Groups VI and VII)14671.3 (1.1 to 1.6)1.2 (0.91 to 1.6)1.9 (1.2 to 2.8)1.1 (0.83 to 1.6)1.2 (1.0 to 1.5)0.80 (0.62 to 1.0)
5. Plant and machine operators and assemblers and Elementary occupations(Groups VIII and IX)12941.2 (1.0 to 1.5)1.2 (0.90 to 1.6)1.1 (0.73 to 1.7)1.1 (0.81 to 1.5)1.2 (1.0 to 1.5)0.80 (0.63 to 1.0)
Specific occupations (ISCO-88 four digits)
Legislators, senior officials, managers, professionals and armed forces (Groups 0, I and II only)—Reference2204111111
Healthcare professionals
 Health-associated professionals not classified elsewhere (3229)6301.4 (1.1 to 1.7)1.2 (0.82 to 1.8)1.4 (0.87 to 2.4)2.1 (1.5 to 3.1)1.4 (1.1 to 1.7)0.79 (0.56 to 1.1)
 Nursing (3230–3232)4351.2 (0.86 to 1.5)0.79 (0.49 to 1.3)1.2 (0.68 to 2.1)0.78 (0.48 to 1.3)1.0 (0.77 to 1.4)0.87 (0.60 to 1.2)
Cooks (5122)1681.4 (0.90 to 2.1)1.2 (0.65 to 2.1)1.5 (0.65 to 3.3)1.2 (0.57 to 2.5)1.3 (0.84 to 1.9)0.91 (0.54 to 1.5)
Waiters, waitresses and bartenders (5123)1631.1 (0.75 to 1.7)1.5 (0.84 to 2.7)1.8 (0.89 to 3.7)1.3 (0.67 to 2.4)1.4 (0.93 to 2.0)1.3 (0.81 to 2.1)
Hairdressers (5141)811.5 (0.82 to 2.6)0.96 (0.34 to 2.7)1.8 (0.57 to 5.8)0.94 (0.29 to 3.1)1.5 (0.85 to 2.5)0.82 (0.37 to 1.8)
Shops salesperson (5220)10841.1 (0.86 to 1.3)1.0 (0.73 to 1.4)1.2 (0.77 to 1.9)1.1 (0.81 to 1.6)1.1 (0.87 to 1.3)0.78 (0.60 to 1.0)
Gardeners (6113)470.88 (0.37 to 2.1)1.4 (0.42 to 4.8)1.2 (0.16 to 9.2)0.94 (0.20 to 4.4)0.95 (0.43 to 2.1)0.72 (0.24 to 2.2)
Carpenters and jointers (7124)1781.3 (0.87 to 2.0)1.0 (0.52 to 2.1)1.7 (0.60 to 4.5)0.82 (0.35 to 1.9)1.3 (0.84 to 1.9)0.79 (0.43 to 1.4)
Building workers (7120–7123, 7129, 7133, 9313)2130.71 (0.45 to 1.1)0.94 (0.49 to 1.8)0.60 (0.19 to 1.9)0.45 (0.19 to 1.1)0.73 (0.48 to 1.1)0.39 (0.21 to 0.73)
Electricians (7137, 7241, 7245)2031.5 (0.97 to 2.2)1.4 (0.74 to 2.6)1.5 (0.63 to 3.5)0.89 (0.44 to 1.8)1.3 (0.90 to 1.9)0.69 (0.41 to 1.2)
Welders (7212)351.7 (0.79 to 3.8)5.5 (2.1 to 14)0.60 (0.072 to 5.0)1.3 (0.44 to 3.9)1.9 (0.86 to 4.1)0.66 (0.23 to 2.0)
Sheet metal workers (7213)381.6 (0.73 to 3.6)0.76 (0.15 to 3.9)1.1 (0.14 to 9.4)1.3 (0.39 to 4.2)1.4 (0.63 to 2.9)0.38 (0.091 to 1.6)
Machinery mechanics (7230–7233)2551.2 (0.82 to 1.7)0.54 (0.27 to 1.1)1.0 (0.47 to 2.4)0.70 (0.36 to 1.3)1.1 (0.76 to 1.5)0.63 (0.39 to 1.0)
Motor vehicle drivers (8320–8324)2051.2 (0.81 to 1.7)1.2 (0.66 to 2.0)0.62 (0.21 to 1.8)1.1 (0.61 to 1.9)1.2 (0.85 to 1.7)0.66 (0.39 to 1.1)
Cleaners (9131, 9132)1850.76 (0.47 to 1.2)0.63 (0.27 to 1.4)1.4 (0.61 to 3.2)1.6 (0.80 to 3.1)0.90 (0.58 to 1.4)0.92 (0.51 to 1.6)
Agricultural labour (9211)531.3 (0.58 to 2.9)0.28 (0.038 to 2.1)1.2 (0.28 to 5.2)0.24 (0.032 to 1.8)1.0 (0.45 to 2.3)1.1 (0.46 to 2.7)

  • Results reaching significance, p<0.05, are marked in bold.

  • *Adjusted for age, gender, area of residence, smoking, passive smoking, housing conditions, damp and mould at home and nasal allergy.

  • †Self-reported occupation categorised by the researchers using ISCO-88.

  • ISCO-88, International Standard Classification of Occupations.