Table 4

Univariate and multivariate associations between outcomes and hygiene exposures in 6821 schoolchildren

Hygiene exposureSPT
OR (95% CI)
p Value		Wheeze
OR (95% CI)
p Value		Rhinitis
OR (95% CI)
p Value		Eczema
OR (95% CI)
p Value
UnivariateMultivariateUnivariateMultivariateUnivariateMultivariateUnivariateMultivariate
Pets inside home
Yes vs no		0.91 (0.78 to 1.06)
0.215		1.09 (0.93 to 1.29)
0.296		1.34 (1.09 to 1.62)
0.005		1.34 (1.09 to 1.63)
0.004		1.28 (1.03 to 1.60)
0.031		1.19 (0.94 to 1.51)
0.151
Crowding
≥3 vs <3		0.79 (0.67 to 0.92)
0.004		0.97 (0.82 to 1.16)
0.733		0.86 (0.70 to 1.05)
0.133		0.81 (0.66 to 1.0)
0.053		0.88 (0.71 to 1.11)
0.276
Birth order
≥5th vs ≤4th		1.58 (0.98 to 1.37)
0.084		0.75 (0.62 to 0.91)
0.003		0.75 (0.61 to 0.91)
0.005		0.62 (0.49 to 0.78)
<0.001		0.62 (0.49 to 0.79)
<0.001		0.79 (0.62 to 1.02)
0.069		0.78 (0.60 to 1.02)
0.070
Bathroom
Field vs others		0.91 (0.76 to 1.09)
0.299		1.19 (0.99 to 1.43)
0.054		1.32 (1.08 to 1.62)
0.008		1.44 (1.13 to 1.83)
0.003		0.80 (0.62 to 1.04)
0.097
Potable drinking water
No vs yes		1.05 (0.81 to 1.34)
0.700		1.21 (1.02 to 1.43)
0.028		1.44 (1.16 to 1.78)
0.001		0.92 (0.72 to 1.20)
0.562		0.79 (0.59 to 1.06)
0.123		0.96 (0.78 to 1.20)
0.771
Attended daycare
Yes vs no		0.96 (0.82 to 1.12)
0.642		0.99 (0.84 to 1.16)
0.889		1.11 (0.92 to 1.33)
0.296		1.28 (1.4 to 1.59)
0.023		1.28 (1.02 to 1.60)
0.037
House construction
Wood/bamboo vs others		1.14 (0.98 to 1.33)
0.087		0.95 (0.81 to 1.12)
0.508		1.12 (0.93 to 1.35)
0.242		1.28 (1.03 to 1.61)
0.027		1.02 (0.83 to 1.26)
0.854
Father engaged in agriculture
Yes vs no		1.55 (1.32 to 1.81)
<0.001		1.24 (1.01 to 1.51)
0.036		0.89 (0.74 to 1.06)
0.176		0.86 (0.70 to 1.05)
0.144		0.82 (0.66 to 1.01)
0.062		0.89 (0.69 to 1.15)
0.386		1.24 (0.99 to 1.56)
0.055
Contact with farm animals*
Yes vs no		1.40 (1.18 to 1.66)
<0.001		1.15 (0.95 to 1.41)
0.146		1.03 (0.85 to 1.25)
0.781		1.28 (1.04 to 1.59)
0.021		1.50 (1.19 to 1.91)
0.001		1.38 (1.09 to 1.75)
0.008		1.41 (1.07 to 1.84)
0.014
Unpasteurised milk†
Yes vs no		1.13 (0.97 to 1.32)
0.109		1.05 (0.89 to 1.24)
0.557		1.02 (0.85 to 1.24)
0.810		1.34 (1.08 to 1.65)
0.008		1.13 (0.89 to 1.43)
0.321
Any geohelminth
Yes vs no		0.66 (0.56 to 0.77)
<0.001		1.12 (0.95 to 1.34)
0.165		0.94 (0.78 to 1.14)
0.550		0.97 (0.78 to 1.21)
0.810		1.31 (0.93 to 1.85)
0.125
Ascaris lumbricoides
Yes vs no		0.71 (0.59 to 0.84)
<0.001		0.73 (0.60 to 0.89)
0.002		1.01 (0.84 to 1.20)
0.924		0.83 (0.68 to 1.02)
0.079		1.03 (0.82 to 1.29)
0.810
Trichuris trichiura
Yes vs no		0.63 (0.53 to 0.73)
<0.001		0.71 (0.59 to 0.85)
<0.001		1.16 (0.98 to 1.36)
0.084		1.07 (0.88 to 1.29)
0.505		0.78 (0.63 to 0.97)
0.025		0.72 (0.51 to 1.02)
0.061
Hookworm
Yes vs no		1.38 (1.01 to 1.88)
0.047		1.37 (0.95 to 1.97)
0.088		1.10 (0.77 to 1.58)
0.591		0.74 (0.46 to 1.20)
0.221		1.37 (0.90 to 2.12)
0.143

  • Variables in multivariate analyses with p≤0.01 were considered statistically significant and are shown in bold type.

  • Median crowding was 3.

  • *Pigs, cows, horses, mules, donkeys.

  • †Consumption of unpasteurised milk at least once weekly.

  • SPT, skin prick test reactivity.