Case-by-Case Assessment of Adult-Onset Asthma Attributable to Occupational Exposures Among Members of a Health Maintenance Organization

Details

• Personal Author:
  Henneberger, Paul K. ; Houseman EA ; Hunt PR ; Milton DK ; Rosiello RA ; Sama SR
• Description:
  Objective: In a general population of employed persons with health insurance, what proportion of adult-onset asthma is caused by occupational exposures? Method: We conducted a 2-year prospective study to identify adult-onset asthma among health maintenance organization (HMO) members. Telephone interviews regarding occupational exposures, symptoms, medication use, and triggers were used to assess likelihood of work-related asthma for each case. Weighted estimating equations were used to adjust the proportion of asthma attributable to workplace exposures for factors associated with interview participation. Results: Overall, 29% (95% confidence interval, 25-34%) of adult-onset asthma was attributable to workplace exposures; 26% (21-30%) and 22% (18-27%) of cases had asthma attributable to occupational irritant and sensitizer exposures, respectively. Conclusions: Occupational exposures, including irritants, are important causes of adult-onset asthma. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Hypersensitivity Irritants Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety
• Keywords:
  Occupational-exposure Pulmonary-system-disorders Respiratory-irritants Respiratory-system-disorders Sensitization
• ISSN:
  1076-2752
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DRDS - Division of Respiratory Disease Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  400-407
• Volume:
  48
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20030008
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Med 2006 Apr; 48(4):400-407
• Contact Point Address:
  Susan R. Sama, ScD, Harvard School of Public Health, Exposure, Epidemiology and Risk Program, 401 Park Drive, Box 15677, Landmark Center West, Room 428, Boston, MA 21286
• Email:
  ssama@hsph.harvard.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2006
• Performing Organization:
  Harvard University, School of Public Health - Boston
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20020901
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• End Date:
  20060831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:3142c9d4695c720ed2a7fdc060289962aa9c8e6370d2f473680089e6952ebe8ed3b0492d9b851c41247743fe61d37ef7b1e8facf87d9aebb331325961048c927
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/190869/cdc_190869_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 220.29 KB ]