Graduation Year

2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.S.P.H.

Degree Name

MS in Public Health (M.S.P.H.)

Degree Granting Department

Public Health

Major Professor

Giffe Johnson, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Marie Bourgeois, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Raymond Harbison, Ph.D.

Keywords

allergies, seasons, respirator, fitness

Abstract

Lung spirometry data from three working-class industry populations were analyzed using logistic and linear regression to see if seasonality adversely affected test outcomes. Populations included emergency responders, general industry, and shipwrights. The data was organized into allergy and non-allergy seasons using NOAA meteorological data and regression and logistic analysis was run on these separate populations to test for demographic and seasonal effects on lung spirometry test outcomes. The American Thoracic Society gold standard was as a point for determining impaired lung function (FEV1/FVC > 0.80). It was found that seasonality imparted a slight linear effect on the predictive values of FEV1 and FVC for determining impaired lung function FEV1 and FVC values were Pr > 0.0003 and Pr > 0.0002, respectively. For demographic variables, age imparted the greatest linear effect for FEV1 and FVC, with significant p-values of 0.0002 and

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