Gender differences in work-related asthma: surveillance data from California, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New Jersey, 1993-2008

Details

• Personal Author:
  Davis LK ; Filios, Margaret S. ; Fitzsimmons K ; Flattery J ; Harrison RJ ; Lumia ME ; Mazurek JM ; Pechter E ; Reilly MJ ; Rosenman, Kenneth D. ; Seaman C ; Stephens AC ; White GE
• Description:
  Objective: To characterize work-related asthma by gender. Methods: We analyzed state-based sentinel surveillance data on confirmed work-related asthma cases collected from California, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New Jersey during 1993-2008. We used Chi-square and Fisher's Exact Test statistics to compare select characteristics between females and males. Results: Of the 8239 confirmed work-related asthma cases, 60% were female. When compared to males with work-related asthma, females with work-related asthma were more likely to be identified through workers' compensation (14.8% versus 10.6%) and less likely to be identified through hospital data (14.2% versus 16.9%). Moreover, when compared to males, females were more likely to have work-aggravated asthma (24.4% versus 13.5%) and less likely to have new-onset asthma (48.0% versus 56.5%). Females were also more likely than males with work-related asthma to work in healthcare and social assistance (28.7% versus 5.2%), educational services (11.8% versus 4.2%), and retail trade (5.0% versus 3.9%) industries and in office and administrative support (20.0% versus 4.0%), healthcare practitioners and technical (13.4% versus 1.6%), and education training and library (6.2% versus 1.3%) occupations. Agent groups most frequently associated with work-related asthma were miscellaneous chemicals (20.3%), cleaning materials (15.3%), and indoor air pollutants (14.9%) in females and miscellaneous chemicals (15.7%), mineral and inorganic dusts (13.2%), and pyrolysis products (12.7%) in males. Conclusions: Among adults with work-related asthma, males and females differ in terms of workplace exposures, occupations, and industries. Physicians should consider these gender differences when diagnosing and treating asthma in working adults. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Asthma Asthma, Occupational Environment Environmental Exposure Occupational Health Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Gender Differences Environmental Exposure Environmental Factors Occupational Asthma Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome Respiratory System Disorders Sex- Actors Surveillance Surveillance Programs Work-aggravated Asthma Work-related Asthma Workers

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• ISSN:
  0277-0903
• 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
• Volume:
  51
• Issue:
  7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20044075
• Citation:
  J Asthma 2014 Sep; 51(7):691-702
• Contact Point Address:
  Gretchen E. White, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1095 Willowdale Rd., MS HG900, Morgantown, WV 26505
• Email:
  GEWhite@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2014
• Performing Organization:
  Public Health Institute
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Asthma
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:92d72870e2464d0417db78092b87ebd095640a86e981e0e03041c494bdd818f91d20bf02610add667b7f386b60ad9b66536cc2606e6ebdf2ca75ee7b93578a2b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/199924/cdc_199924_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 325.63 KB ]