Cited by 170Asthma and respiratory diseasesAllergic Rhinitis and SensitizationDermatology and Skin Diseases

Having lived on a farm and protection against allergic diseases in Australia

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Downs, S. H., Marks, G. B., Mitakakis, T. Z., Lëuppi, J. D., Car, N. G., Peat, J. K.·2001·Clinical & Experimental Allergy

Abstract

Background Farmers' children in northern Europe have a lower prevalence of atopy, hay fever and asthma than other children. Farms in Australia differ in scale and operation from those in Europe and the prevalence of allergic diseases in children is higher. Objective To investigate whether having lived on a farm as a child in Australia is associated with a lower risk of allergic diseases. Methods Cross‐sectional study of children (n = 1500) aged 7–12 years from two rural towns: Wagga Wagga in a mixed farming region, and Moree in a crop farming region. Parents answered a questionnaire and children had a skin prick test for atopy. Results Twenty percent of children had lived on a farm for at least 1 year. The effect of having lived on a farm differed between the towns (P < 0.001). It was associated with a lower risk of atopy in Wagga (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.32–0.72) but not in Moree (aOR 0.97, 95% CI 0.62–1.53). Children from Wagga were more likely to have lived on a livestock farm than children from Moree (26.1% vs. 9.1%, 95% CI for the difference 8.9–25.4). Conclusion Having lived on a farm in Australia can confer protection against atopy in children. Further studies are needed to identify possible protective mechanisms associated with farm animals or to establish whether the protective effect is explained by other related exposures.

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Crossref · 10.1046/j.1365-2222.2001.01070.x

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  • The protective farm effect seems to be stronger when exposed to farm animals and stables.

    “The protective farm effect seems to be stronger when exposed to farm animals and stables.522,649-655”

    From International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Allergic Rhinitis (2018) · cites this paper as [652]

    The Abstract reports protection against atopy in the mixed-farming region but not the crop-farming region, and the ‘Farming and atopy in children’ section suggests that contact with farm animals may explain the difference (page numbers unavailable). The paper does not assess exposure to stables or establish that animal exposure itself makes the protective effect stronger. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Pepys J. Skin testing. Br J Hosp Med 1975; 14:412±7.
  2. Kimbell-Dunn M, Bradshaw L, Slater T, Erkinjuntti-Pekkanen R, Fishwick D, Pearce N. Asthma and allergy in New Zealand Farmers. Am J Ind Med 1999; 35:51±7.

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Authors
Downs, S. H., Marks, G. B., Mitakakis, T. Z., Lëuppi, J. D., Car, N. G., & Peat, J. K.
Affiliations
  • The University of Sydney (AU)
  • Charles Sturt University (AU)
  • Children's Hospital at Westmead (AU)
Corresponding author
Downs, S. H.
Venue
Clinical & Experimental Allergy
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2001-04
Volume
31
Issue
4
Pages
570-575
ISSN
  • 0954-7894 (ISSN-L)
  • 1365-2222
OpenAlex
W2065488410
Cited by
170
References
24
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 11
FWCI
7.99
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Clinical & Experimental Allergy (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Medical Research Council
  • Australian Research Council
  • National Health and Medical Research Council
  • National Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Asthma and respiratory diseases
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Immunology and Allergy › Allergic Rhinitis and Sensitization
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Dermatology and Skin Diseases
Keywords
farm life, childhood atopy, allergic diseases, asthma, allergic rhinitis, livestock exposure, rural children, Wagga Wagga, Moree, skin prick test, mixed farming, crop farming
MeSH terms
Asthma, Australia, Child, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Hypersensitivity, Hypersensitivity, Immediate, Immunization, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Risk Factors, Rural Health, Prevalence, Confidence Intervals, Odds Ratio

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