Self-reported chemicals exposure, beliefs about disease causation, and risk of breast cancer in the Cape Cod Breast Cancer and Environment Study: a case-control study

Zota, Ami R; Aschengrau, Ann; Rudel, Ruthann A; Brody, Julia Green

doi:10.1186/1476-069X-9-40

Environmental Health

Table 3 Adjusted odds ratios for breast cancer and residential pesticide use, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 1988-1995

From: Self-reported chemicals exposure, beliefs about disease causation, and risk of breast cancer in the Cape Cod Breast Cancer and Environment Study: a case-control study

Product category	Cases (no.)	Controls (no.)	Adjusted OR	(95% CI)	P _trend
Combined pesticide use
Quartile 1	173	152	1.0	Reference
Quartile 2	110	99	1.0	0.7, 1.5
Quartile 3	169	143	1.1	0.8, 1.5
Quartile 4	153	126	1.1	0.8, 1.6	0.52
Insect or bug control
Never use	161	151	1.0	Reference
Any use	569	514	1.1	0.9, 1.4
Once or twice	161	155	1.0	0.7, 1.4
3-10 times	203	188	1.1	0.8, 1.5
> 10 times	205	171	1.2	0.8, 1.6	0.21
Termite or carpenter ant control
Never use	293	265	1.0	Reference
Any use	165	161	0.9	0.6,1.2
Once or twice	105	85	1.0	0.7,1.5
3-10 times	35	49	0.6	0.4,1.0
> 10 times	25	27	0.8	0.4,1.4	0.11
Mosquito control
Never use	314	312	1.0	Reference
Any use	91	87	1.0	0.7, 1.5
Once or twice	15	18	0.9	0.5. 1.9
3-10 times	35	31	1.1	0.7, 1.9
> 10 times	41	38	1.0	0.6, 1.7	0.79
Mothball control
Never use	73	91	1.0	Reference
Any use	340	312	1.2	0.8, 1.7
< 5 times	92	90	1.2	0.8, 1.9
5-10 times	62	73	0.9	0.6, 1.5
> 10 times	186	149	1.3	0.9, 1.9	0.29
Lawn care
Never use	316	286	1.0	Reference
Any use	408	343	1.1	0.9, 1.3
Once or twice	43	35	1.2	0.7, 1.9
3-20 times	174	136	1.2	0.9, 1.6
> 20 times	191	172	1.0	0.7, 1.3	0.88
Outdoor and indoor plant care
Never use	407	359	1.0	Reference
Any use	334	300	1.0	0.8, 1.2
Once or twice	33	26	1.1	0.6, 1.8
3-20 times	158	146	1.0	0.7, 1.3
> 20 times	143	128	1.0	0.7, 1.3	0.71
Insect repellent
Never use	286	271	1.0	Reference
Any use	482	428	1.2	0.9, 1.5
Rarely	283	263	1.1	0.9, 1.5
Sometimes	133	115	1.2	0.9, 1.7
Often/Very often	66	50	1.5	1.0, 2.3	0.05
Lice control
Never use	692	626	1.0	Reference
Any use	89	83	1.2	0.8, 1.6
Flea collar for pets
No	257	238	1.0	Reference
Yes	529	482	1.2	0.9, 1.5
Flea control for pets
Never use	465	395	1.0	Reference
Any use	294	286	1.0	0.8, 1.2
Once or twice	43	41	0.9	0.6, 1.5
3-10 times	101	109	0.9	0.6, 1.2
> 10 times	150	136	1.1	0.8, 1.4	0.95

Odds ratios are adjusted for age at diagnosis/reference year, birth decade (six categories), previous breast cancer diagnosis, family history of breast cancer, age at first live or still birth (< 30, ≥ 30/nulliparous), education (five categories), study (Cape, PCE). "Combined pesticide use" product category includes frequency data for: insect or bug control, lawn care, outdoor and indoor plant care, insect repellent, flea control on pets. Product use for termite or carpenter ant control, mosquito control, and mothball control not included because they were only assessed in study participants from the 1999-2000 interviews.

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ISSN: 1476-069X

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