title: The incidence of respiratory symptoms in female Swedish hairdressers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Airway diseases in hairdressers are a concern. The objective of this investigation is to evaluate the risk for three respiratory symptoms, wheeze, dry cough, and nasal blockage, in hairdressers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire on respiratory symptoms, atopy, smoking, and work history was answered by 3,957 female hairdressers and 4,905 women from the general population as referents. Incidence rates (IR) and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for the three symptoms were estimated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The IRs of all three studied symptoms were higher in the hairdressers compared with the referents. Smoking modified the effects of cohort affiliation for all three symptoms; the combined effect from hairdressing work and smoking was less than expected. In addition, the effect of cohort affiliation for wheeze was also modified by atopy, and the effect of cohort affiliation for nasal blockage was also modified by calendar year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hairdressing work was associated with increased incidences of respiratory symptoms. Smoking had a negative modifying effect.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Internal Medicine, Section of Occupational Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. jonas.brisman@ymk.gu.se
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brisman
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albin
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rylander
authors.forename: Zoli
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mikoczy
authors.forename: Linnéa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lillienberg
authors.forename: Anna Dahlman
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Höglund
authors.forename: Kjell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Torén
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meding
authors.forename: Kerstin Kronholm
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Diab
authors.forename: Jørn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nielsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001505:Beauty Culture; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003371:Cough / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications; D015994:Incidence; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology