Self-reported data in environmental health studies: mail vs. web-based surveys

Table 7 Attitude towards environmental stressors for mail and Web survey respondents

Attitude towards stressors ^a		% Mail ^b	% Web ^b	Crude OR [95%CI] ^c,d	Adj. OR [95%CI] ^d,e
Perception	Noise	22.4	20.4	1.13 [0.80–1.58]	1.51 [1.04–2.18]**
	Odor	29.5	33.1	0.84 [0.63–1.13]	1.07 [0.77–1.47]
	Dust	6.3	4.4	1.48 [0.78–2.82]	1.75 [0.87–3.54]
	Smoke	13.3	14.8	0.87 [0.59–1.29]	0.98 [0.65–1.49]
	Vibration	7.0	9.5	0.72 [0.44–1.17]	0.71 [0.42–1.21]
	Overall	20.6	18.5	1.14 [0.80–1.62]	1.38 [0.95–2.01]*
Annoyance	Noise	24.1	22.9	1.07 [0.77–1.48]	1.43 [1.00–2.05]**
	Odor	32.2	37.1	0.81 [0.61–1.07]	0.97 [0.71–1.32]
	Dust	6.6	4.4	1.54 [0.81–2.93]	1.93 [0.94–3.97]*
	Smoke	12.5	11.3	1.13 [0.73–1.73]	1.14 [0.72–1.79]
	Vibration	7.0	7.6	0.90 [0.54–1.52]	0.93 [0.53–1.64]
	Overall	16.1	14.5	1.12 [0.76–1.65]	1.32 [0.87–2.00]
Health concern	Noise	3.5	4.0	0.88 [0.43–1.79]	1.02 [0.47–2.24]
	Odor	2.8	4.7	0.58 [0.29–1.16]	0.67 [0.31–1.46]
	Dust	4.7	2.5	1.88 [0.83–4.26]	2.03 [0.87–4.76]*
	Smoke	5.9	5.5	1.09 [0.60–1.99]	1.24 [0.66–2.33]
	Vibration	1.8	2.5	0.69 [0.28–1.73]	0.86 [0.30–2.46]
	Overall	11.9	10.2	1.19 [0.76–1.86]	1.39 [0.86–2.25]
Behavioral interference	Noise	2.5	0.4	7.11 [0.95–53.21]*	9.51 [1.23–73.47]**
	Odor	10.7	6.9	1.62 [0.97–2.72]*	1.82 [1.06–3.13]**
	Dust	1.1	0.7	1.57 [0.34–7.32]	2.00 [0.40–10.14]
	Smoke	3.2	3.3	0.96 [0.44–209]	1.07 [0.47–2.40]
	Vibration	0.1	0.4	0.35 [0.02–5.56]	0.00 [0.00 - Inf]
	Overall	14.8	9.5	1.66 [1.06–2.60]**	1.87 [1.16–3.00]**

^a The term “environmental stressors” are defined as global conditions of the environment (in this case, noise, odor, dust, smoke and vibration) that may adversely stimulate the central nervous system and, as stressors, require adaptation or coping measurements (Campbell, 1983)
^b Indicates the percentage of mail and Web survey respondents that provided positive answers (scores ≥1) for each of the outcomes (i.e. variables that indicate their attitude towards stressors)
^c Indicates the odds that mail survey respondents reported a negative attitude towards environmental stressors in comparison to Web survey respondents
^d *p < 0.1; **p < 0.05
^e Indicates the odds that mail survey respondents reported a negative attitude towards environmental stressors in comparison to Web survey respondents, after controlling for age, sex, education, region where the individual lives (i.e. Anholt, Lindet, Keldsnor and Sundeved), smoking status, childhood living environment, presence of children at home, period spent outside home and job situation

ISSN: 1471-2288