Work related distal airway obstruction in an agricultural population.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of distal airway obstruction and its risk factors in agricultural areas.

Methods: A cross sectional study of respiratory symptoms and lung function was performed among French farmers and their spouses (1122 subjects) who came for preventive medicine examinations. They answered a respiratory questionnaire and performed pulmonary function tests on a portable spirometer.

[Impact on the quality of life of respiratory symptoms and airway obstruction in an agricultural population].

Respiratory diseases are known to have consequences on health status. The objective of this study was to assess the quality of life of subjects with obstructive respiratory disorders coming for preventive medicine examinations. We conducted a study on a sample of adults living in agricultural areas (n = 1,235).