Work-Related Asthma Among Health Care Workers: Surveillance Data from California, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New Jersey, 1993–1997

Details

• Personal Author:
  Davis LK ; Filios, Margaret S. ; Flattery J ; Harrison, Robert ; Pechter E ; Reilly MJ ; Reinisch F ; Rosenman, Kenneth D. ; Schill, Donald P. ; Tumpowsky C ; Valiante D
• Description:
  Background: Asthma morbidity has increased, posing a public health burden. Work-related asthma (WRA) accounts for a significant proportion of adult asthma that causes serious personal and economic consequences. Methods: Cases were identified using physician reports and hospital discharge data, as part of four state-based surveillance systems. We used structured interviews to confirm cases and identify occupations and exposures associated with WRA. Results: Health care workers (HCWs) accounted for 16% (n = 305) of the 1,879 confirmed WRA cases, but only 8% of the states' workforce. Cases primarily were employed in hospitals and were nurses. The most commonly reported exposures were cleaning products, latex, and poor air quality. Conclusions: Health care workers are at risk for work-related asthma. Health care providers need to recognize this risk of WRA, as early diagnosis will decrease the morbidity associated with WRA. Careful product purchasing and facility maintenance by health care institutions will decrease the risk. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Asthma Asthma, Occupational Epidemiology Health Care Facilities Workforce And Services Health Personnel Hospitals Lung Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety

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• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Asthma Bronchial-asthma Cleaning Products Health-care Health-care-facilities Health-care-personnel Health Care Hospital Humans Lung-function Occupational Pulmonary-function Pulmonary-system-disorders Respiratory-system-disorders Statistical-analysis Surveillance Surveillance-programs Work-related

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• ISSN:
  0271-3586
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; Massachusetts ; Michigan ; New Jersey ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 9 ; 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:
  265-275
• Volume:
  47
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20026270
• Citation:
  Am J Ind Med 2005 Mar; 47(3):265-275
• Contact Point Address:
  Elise Pechter, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Occupational Health Surveillance Program, 6th Floor, 250 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108
• Email:
  Elise.Pechter@state.ma.us
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2005
• Performing Organization:
  Massachusetts Department of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19880415
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• End Date:
  20050929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:cb4320664887caf57416f444a4cf7f88765960ef171c586a8d4b158b94cf82d5625c6781ba691a1cd6c870181ceaad942c60bf3ba62f25a3c20f3436e4049b7a
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/197251/cdc_197251_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 133.49 KB ]