title: Health-related quality of life does not explain the protective effect of farming on allergies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Numerous studies report a protective effect of farming against allergic diseases. Some specific underlying exposures contributing to this effect have recently been described in the GABRIEL survey. So far, psycho-social factors have not been included in these analyses.
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to assess the potential influence of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) on the protective effect of farming, 8259 school aged children from the European GABRIEL study answered questions concerning farming and allergic diseases, as well as validated questions about HRQOL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Farm children reported higher HRQOL than non farm children. However, HRQOL did not modify the protective effect of farming against allergies. Children with allergic diseases reported significantly lower HRQOL scores suggesting that the higher HRQOL of farm children was in part explained by the lower prevalence of these diseases among farm children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although farm children reported higher HRQOL scores than did non-farm children, HRQOL did not explain the protective effect of farming against allergic diseases. The relationship between allergic diseases and HRQOL is likely bidirectional and needs to be assessed prospectively.
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stöcklin
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Loss
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: von Mutius
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Genuneit
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Horak
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Braun-Fahrländer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000383:Agriculture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology