A Cohort Study on Self-Reported Respiratory Symptoms of Toner-Handling Workers: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis from 2003 to 2008

Table 4

The results of GEE on self-reported respiratory symptom (toner exposure, smoking status, organic compounds, allergic diseases, and age).

Dependent variable	Independent variable	Category	Odds ratio	95% confidence interval
				Lower	Upper
Persistent cough	Toner exposure	Toner-handling group	0.95	0.61	1.47
		Never-toner-handling group	1.00
	Smoking status	Current smoker	2.42*	1.55	3.79
		Ex-smoker	1.09	0.62	1.92
		Never smoker	1.00
	Handling of organic compounds	+	1.08*	0.71	0.71
		−	1.00
	Morbidity of asthma	+	2.46*	1.25	4.86
		−	1.00
	Morbidity of allergic rhinitis	+	1.48*	1.07	2.05
		−	1.00
	Morbidity of allergic dermatitis	+	1.56	0.93	2.62
		−	1.00
	Age	1 year	1.02	0.99	1.05
Persistent phlegm	Toner exposure	Toner-handling group	1.31	0.86	2.01
		Never-toner-handling group	1.00
	Smoking status	Current smoker	3.08*	1.93	4.91
		Ex-smoker	0.82	0.48	1.41
		Never smoker	1.00
	Handling of organic compounds	+	1.02	0.75	1.40
		−	1.00
	Morbidity of asthma	+	2.34*	1.39	3.95
		−	1.00
	Morbidity of allergic rhinitis	+	1.45*	1.04	2.03
		−	1.00
	Morbidity of allergic dermatitis	+	1.20	0.71	2.01
		−	1.00
	Age	1 year	1.05*	1.02	1.08
Persistent cough and phlegm	Toner exposure	Toner-handling group	0.84	0.45	1.56
		Never-toner-handling group	1.00
	Smoking status	Current smoker	3.31*	1.80	6.08
		Ex-smoker	0.61	0.26	1.43
		Never smoker	1.00
	Handling of organic compounds	+	0.90	0.52	1.55
		−	1.00
	Morbidity of asthma	+	3.19*	1.37	7.45
		−	1.00
	Morbidity of allergic rhinitis	+	1.57	1.00	2.46
		−	1.00
	Morbidity of allergic dermatitis	+	1.45	0.71	2.96
		−	1.00
	Age	1 year	1.08	1.04	1.13
Wheezing without asthmatic response	Toner exposure	Toner-handling group	1.31	0.89	1.92
		Never-toner-handling group	1.00
	Smoking status	Current smoker	2.73*	1.72	4.33
		Ex-smoker	1.17	0.67	2.07
		Never smoker	1.00
	Handling of organic compounds	+	1.07	0.72	1.57
		−	1.00
	Morbidity of asthma	+	8.26*	5.25	13.01
		−	1.00
	Morbidity of allergic rhinitis	+	1.20	0.81	1.79
		−	1.00
	Morbidity of allergic dermatitis	+	1.90*	1.07	3.38
		−	1.00
	Age	1 year	1.05*	1.02	1.08
Breathlessness	Toner exposure	Toner-handling group	1.87*	1.29	2.71
		Never-toner-handling group	1.00
	Smoking status	Current smoker	3.16*	2.19	4.56
		Ex-smoker	1.48	0.95	2.29
		Never smoker	1.00
	Handling of organic compounds	+	1.28	0.95	1.72
		−	1.00
	Morbidity of asthma	+	1.51	0.82	2.80
		−	1.00
	Morbidity of allergic rhinitis	+	1.22	0.92	1.64
		−	1.00
	Morbidity of allergic dermatitis	+	1.44	0.95	2.18
		−	1.00
	Age	1 year	1.06*	1.04	1.08

∗In case the independent variables had effects on the results.