Biomedical subjects
F de Hamel
Publications and source records attributed to F de Hamel.
Objective respiratory screening among Dunedin public servants.
The results of a questionnaire concerning respiratory symptoms in Dunedin public servants have been reported earlier (de Hamel, O'Donnell, 1972). This report is of the results of spirometry in the same population. Fifty-five percent of 1079 men and 59 percent of the 310 women with normal mass miniature chest x-rays showed an FEV 1.0 below the predicted value, but in only 9 percent of each sex was the FEV 1.0 less than 80 percent of predicted. Bronchitic symptoms and a history of regular cigarette smoking were associated with an impaired FEV 1.0. The FEV 1.0 was normal in many giving a history of the bronchitic symptoms cough, phelgm or wheezing. The FEV 1.0 of overweight men was not significantly different from the other men. Attention is drawn to the high frequency of chronic bronchitis in the population and the correlation of this with moderate and heavy cigarette smoking. The questionnaire disclosed more abnormality within the population than did the spirometrey. They may complement one another when effort is being directed at health education.