TY - JOUR

T1 - Social economic factors and the risk of multiple chemical sensitivity in a Danish population-based cross-sectional study

T2 - Danish Study of Functional Disorders (DanFunD)

AU - Bjerregaard, Anne Ahrendt

AU - Schovsbo, Signe Ulfbeck

AU - Gormsen, Lise K.

AU - Skovbjerg, Sine

AU - Eplov, Lene Falgaard

AU - Linneberg, Allan

AU - Cedeno-Laurent, Jose G.

AU - Jørgensen, Torben

AU - Dantoft, Thomas Meinertz

N1 - Erratum: DOI 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064618corr1

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - ObjectivesMultiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a rare multisystem and poly-symptomatic disease characterised by a report of various somatic symptoms attributed to inhalation of volatile chemicals in usually harmless doses. The aim was to explore four selected social factors and the risk of MCS in the general Danish population.DesignA cross-sectional general population-based study.SettingThe Danish Study of Functional Disorders was conducted from 2011 to 2015 which included 9656 participants.ParticipantsA total of 8800 participants were included in analyses after observations with missing data on exposure and/or outcome were excluded. A total of 164 cases fulfilled the questionnaire criteria for MCS. Of the 164 MCS cases, 101 reported no comorbid functional somatic disorder (FSD) and were included in a subgroup analysis. A total of 63 MCS cases fulfilled the criteria for at least one additional FSD, this subgroup was not included in further analysis. The remaining study population without MCS or any FSD were regarded as controls.Outcome measuresWe used adjusted logistic regression to calculate OR and 95% CIs of MCS and MCS without FSD comorbidities for each social variable separately including education, employment, cohabitation and subjective social status.ResultsWe found an increased risk of MCS among the unemployed (OR: 2.95, 95%CI: 1.75 to 4.97), and a twofold increased risk of MCS among individuals with low subjective social status (OR: 2.00, 95%CI: 1.08 to 3.70). At the same time, 4 years or more of vocational training were protective of MCS. No significant associations were observed among MCS cases with no comorbid FSD.ConclusionLower socioeconomic status was found to be associated with a higher risk of having MCS but not with MCS without FSD comorbidities. Due to the cross-sectional design of the study, we cannot determine whether social status is a determinant or a consequence of MCS.

AB - ObjectivesMultiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a rare multisystem and poly-symptomatic disease characterised by a report of various somatic symptoms attributed to inhalation of volatile chemicals in usually harmless doses. The aim was to explore four selected social factors and the risk of MCS in the general Danish population.DesignA cross-sectional general population-based study.SettingThe Danish Study of Functional Disorders was conducted from 2011 to 2015 which included 9656 participants.ParticipantsA total of 8800 participants were included in analyses after observations with missing data on exposure and/or outcome were excluded. A total of 164 cases fulfilled the questionnaire criteria for MCS. Of the 164 MCS cases, 101 reported no comorbid functional somatic disorder (FSD) and were included in a subgroup analysis. A total of 63 MCS cases fulfilled the criteria for at least one additional FSD, this subgroup was not included in further analysis. The remaining study population without MCS or any FSD were regarded as controls.Outcome measuresWe used adjusted logistic regression to calculate OR and 95% CIs of MCS and MCS without FSD comorbidities for each social variable separately including education, employment, cohabitation and subjective social status.ResultsWe found an increased risk of MCS among the unemployed (OR: 2.95, 95%CI: 1.75 to 4.97), and a twofold increased risk of MCS among individuals with low subjective social status (OR: 2.00, 95%CI: 1.08 to 3.70). At the same time, 4 years or more of vocational training were protective of MCS. No significant associations were observed among MCS cases with no comorbid FSD.ConclusionLower socioeconomic status was found to be associated with a higher risk of having MCS but not with MCS without FSD comorbidities. Due to the cross-sectional design of the study, we cannot determine whether social status is a determinant or a consequence of MCS.

KW - EPIDEMIOLOGY

KW - PUBLIC HEALTH

KW - Physiology

U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064618

DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064618

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36972962

VL - 13

JO - BMJ Open

JF - BMJ Open

SN - 2044-6055

IS - 3

M1 - 064618

ER -