Table 2

 Recent wheeze, asthma diagnosis, and medication use by sociodemographic, exposure and medical characteristics (univariate analysis)

VariableNRecent wheezeAsthma diagnosisAsthma medication use
%OR (95% CI)%OR (95% CI)N%OR (95% CI)
N, Weighted counts; first column applies to recent wheeze and asthma diagnosis.
*p <0.05 for difference from reference stratum.
†Current daily and occasional manufactured and hand rolled cigarettes.
‡Current daily and occasional pipes, cigars, cheroots, cigarillos.
Overall1382616.3–3.8–24348.6–
Sex
    Men567114.41.03.71.089211.21.0
    Women815517.61.3 (1.1 to 1.4)*3.81.0 (0.8 to 1.3)15427.20.6 (0.5 to 0.8)*
Age (years)
    15–19212811.31.03.11.02725.21.0
    20–44708013.41.2 (1.0 to 1.5)*2.91.0 (0.7 to 1.3)10276.51.3 (0.6 to 2.7)
    >44461723.12.3 (1.9 to 2.9)*5.41.8 (1.3 to 2.6)*113511.42.3 (1.1 to 5.1)*
Asset index
    I (poorest)174920.31.03.71.03783.21.0
    II277617.70.8 (0.7 to 1.0)2.90.8 (0.5 to 1.2)5136.12.0 (1.1 to 3.9)*
    III278112.90.6 (0.5 to 0.7)*2.50.7 (0.4 to 1.1)3846.01.9 (0.9 to 3.9)
    IV324114.80.7 (0.6 to 0.8)*3.71.0 (0.7 to 1.5)51710.13.4 (1.8 to 6.5)*
    V328017.30.8 (0.6 to 1.0)5.71.6 (1.1 to 2.3)*64214.25.0 (2.5 to 10.1)*
Education (years)
    None174726.01.04.51.04726.11.0
    1–7375518.60.6 (0.6 to 0.8)*4.51.0 (0.7 to 1.4)7509.71.7 (1.0 to 2.8)
    8–12731113.30.4 (0.4 to 0.5)*3.10.7 (0.5 to 0.9)*10638.81.5 (0.8 to 2.8)
    >1293512.00.4 (0.3 to 0.5)*5.21.2 (0.8 to 1.8)1388.81.5 (0.7 to 3.1)
Racial group
    African1052515.61.03.01.017395.81.0
    Coloured144414.30.9 (0.7 to 1.1)4.71.6 (1.2 to 2.3)*22919.13.8 (2.3 to 6.4)*
    White133123.21.6 (1.2 to 2.3)*8.63.1 (2.1 to 4.4)*35813.12.5 (1.2 to 5.2)*
    Asian49518.81.3 (1.0 to 1.7)*5.92.1 (1.3 to 3.3)*10118.43.7 (2.0 to 6.7)*
Residence
    Urban856715.31.04.21.0144110.01.0
    Rural525917.91.2 (1.0 to 1.4)*3.10.7 (0.6 to 1.0)9936.70.6 (0.4 to 1.2)
Medical insurance
    Yes234917.11.06.31.046314.41.0
    No1142516.10.9 (0.7 to 1.2)3.30.5 (0.4 to 0.7)*19597.30.5 (0.3 to 0.9)*
Domestic fuel
    Non-smoky942115.71.04.21.0162311.01.0
    Smoky440517.51.1 (1.0 to 1.3)*3.00.7 (0.5 to 0.9)*8103.90.3 (0.2 to 0.5)*
Occupational exposures
    Never >1 year1140014.41.03.01.017636.61.0
    Ever >1 year242625.32.0 (1.8 to 2.3)*7.32.5 (2.0 to 3.1)*67014.02.3 (1.6 to 3.3)*
Smoking
    Never905114.01.03.11.013618.01.0
    Light (1–14)†236518.31.4 (1.2 to 1.6)*4.21.4 (1.0 to 1.8)*4626.90.9 (0.5 to 1.4)
    Heavy (15+)†68424.72.0 (1.6 to 2.6)*7.42.5 (1.6 to 3.8)*18715.82.2 (1.1 to 4.3)*
    Ex- smoker148522.51.8 (1.5 to 2.1)*5.71.9 (1.4 to 2.5)*3689.71.2 (0.8 to 2.0)
    Non-cigarette‡22421.71.7 (1.2 to 2.5)*3.21.0 (0.5 to 2.0)519.21.2 (0.4 to 3.5)
Tuberculosis
    Never1350115.71.03.71.022878.61.0
    Ever32542.54.0 (3.0 to 5.2)*8.92.6 (1.8 to 3.7)*1479.51.1 (0.6 to 2.1)
Body mass index
    Obese264619.51.4 (1.2 to 1.6)*4.31.2 (0.9 to 1.6)5589.61.4 (0.9 to 2.2)
    Overweight314416.21.1 (1.0 to 1.3)*4.01.1 (0.8 to 1.5)5429.41.4 (0.8 to 2.4)
    Normal615814.71.03.61.09957.11.0
    Underweight114117.61.2 (1.1 to 1.5)*3.71.0 (0.7 to 1.5)20811.21.7 (0.9 to 3.2)