Agricultural exposures in patients with COPD in health systems serving rural areas

Details

• Personal Author:
  Bailey KL ; Meza JL ; Romberger DJ ; Smith LM ; Von Essen SG
• Description:
  Background: Agricultural exposure is a risk factor for the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, there are no good estimates of the number of COPD patients with a history of agricultural exposure. Methods: We conducted a telephone interview of subjects with COPD identified by reviewing all pulmonary function tests at the Omaha Veterans Administration Hospital between November 2004 and March 2005. Obstructive lung disease was defined as a FEV1/FVC ratio of less than 70%. The survey detailed demographic data, smoking history, pulmonary symptoms, and history of agricultural exposures. Results: Participants included 150 veterans (mean age 68.2 years +/-10.8). A history of agricultural exposure was elicited in 68% of subjects. Of those who had worked in agriculture, the types of exposures varied, with 14% in hog confinement barns, 20% on dairy farms, 8% on poultry farms, and 87% exposed to grain dust. There was a trend of diminishing FEV1 with increasing years of agricultural exposure. Conclusions: In health systems that serve rural areas, patients with COPD commonly have a history of agricultural exposures that may contribute to the development of COPD. Health care workers in these areas should include agricultural exposures as an important part of the social/ occupational history in these patients. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aging Agriculture Animals Bacteria Demography Dust Epidemiology Farmers Inhalation Exposure Lung Lung Diseases Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Age-groups Agricultural-industry Author Keywords: Agriculture Bacterial-dusts COPD Demographic-characteristics Diseases Exposure-levels Farming Inhalants Lung Disease Organic-dusts Pulmonary-disorders Pulmonary-system Pulmonary-system-disorders Pulmonary Function Tests Respiratory-system-disorders Statistical-analysis Work-environment Workers

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• ISSN:
  1059-924X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Nebraska ; OSHA Region 7
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  71-76
• Volume:
  12
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20042489
• Citation:
  J Agromedicine 2008 Oct; 12(3):71-76
• Contact Point Address:
  Kristina L. Bailey, MD, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine-Pulmonary, 985300 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5300
• Email:
  kbailey@unmc.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2009
• NORA Priority Area:
  Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• Performing Organization:
  University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20060801
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Agromedicine
• End Date:
  20160731
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b4733b314884c91fc721ba7b657134ced5cd87864ba4f02054c987e23aa4b4e82c50c494f8dd9abdf7fa394d3f6f9936fb9248c0ced9adf9ebdb54c430641647
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/194702/cdc_194702_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 84.06 KB ]