Importance of and Approach to Taking a History of Exposures to Occupational Respiratory Hazards

Details

• Personal Author:
  Radonovich, Lewis J. ; Weissman, David N.
• Description:
  Occupational respiratory diseases are caused by exposure to respiratory hazards at work. It is important to document those exposures and whether they are causing or exacerbating disease because these determinations can have important impacts on diagnosis, treatment, job restrictions, and eligibility for benefits. Without investigation, it is easy to miss clinically relevant exposures, especially in those with chronic diseases that can have work and nonwork causes. The first and most important step in identifying exposures to respiratory hazards at work is to take an appropriate history. For efficiency, this is a two-step process. An initial quick screening history is done by asking only a few questions. Follow-up questions are asked if there are positive responses to the screening questions or if an occupational etiology is suspected based on the clinical presentation. Electronic health records have promise for facilitating this process. Follow-up to the screening history may include additional questions, evaluating additional sources of information about workplace exposures, and medical testing. Radiographic findings or tests conducted on noninvasive samples or lung tissue can be used as biomarkers. Online resources can be used to learn more about exposures associated with occupations and industries and to see if investigations evaluating exposures were performed in the patient's own workplace. It is important to adhere to the patient's wishes about contacting the employer. With patient consent, the employer can be an important source of information about exposures and, if a problem exists, has an important role in taking corrective action. Consultation for challenging cases is available from a variety of professional and governmental entities. If a clinician identifies a significant public health issue, such as an occupational disease outbreak, it is important to notify relevant public health authorities so that steps can be taken to prevent additional exposures and appropriately care for those already exposed. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Biomarkers Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Respiratory Disease Clinical Techniques Electronic Health Records Exposure Assessment Hazardous Exposure Medical History Medical Screening Occupational Occupational Exposure Occupational Respiratory Disease
• ISSN:
  1069-3424
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  RHD - Respiratory Health Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  9 pdf pages
• Volume:
  44
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20067314
• Citation:
  Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2023 Jun; 44(3):396-404
• Contact Point Address:
  David N. Weissman, MD, Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1000 Frederick Lane, Mailstop H-2900, Morgantown, WV 26508
• Email:
  DWeissman@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2023
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:437c5c09f23c488867ce8a882c0865fb000b55a49c13ecccf804d114e5464c318b3beaa2aab0a7dbb0b44fd48022454b65e7fd019d21522e85996b12ddb1d2bd
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/230687/cdc_230687_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 139.36 KB ]