Farming and the Hygiene Hypothesis

Gunner Parent, Joe T. Landrum, N.C. Jacob

Research output: Contribution to conferencePosterpeer-review

Abstract

Background: The increased prevalence of allergic disease over the past decade, and the claims of the hygiene hypothesis, has led to increased allergy research in relation to different environments. Objective: We aimed to statistically determine whether growing up on a farm provides a protective effect against allergies based on the hygiene hypothesis.

Methods: Data collection consisted of an SQL query. All patients from a single rural ENT Allergist in Southern Oklahoma from 2012-2018 are included in the study. Patient data was de-identified and formatted in excel for statistical analysis. Python software was utilized to determine the significance between patients who grew up on a farm and patients who did not grow up on a farm in relation to having allergies.

Results: We determined a statistical difference between the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in patients who grew up on a farm and patients who did not grow up on a farm (P < .001). Our results revealed that patients who grew up on a farm were more likely to have allergies compared to patients who did not grow up on a farm.

Conclusion: In our patient population, those who did not grow up on a farm were statistically less likely to have allergic rhinitis compared to patients who grew up on a farm. A possible confounding variable for our findings may be incidental exposures to farming environments due to living near local farms.
Original languageAmerican English
Pages71
StatePublished - 22 Feb 2021
EventOklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences Research Days 2021: Poster presentation - Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences Campus, Tulsa, United States
Duration: 22 Feb 202126 Feb 2021

Conference

ConferenceOklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences Research Days 2021
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityTulsa
Period22/02/2126/02/21

Keywords

  • Hygiene Hypothesis
  • Farming; Allergic Rhinitis
  • Allergic Disease
  • Allergy

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