A novel method for estimating the effects of job conditions on asthma and chronic lung disease

Details

• Personal Author:
  Dembe AE ; Dong, Xiuwen S. ; Shoben AB ; Wickizer TM ; Yao X
• Description:
  OBJECTIVE: This study uses 32 years of longitudinal job history to analyze the long-term effect of exposure to specific workplace conditions on the risk of contracting asthma or chronic lung disease later in life. Our approach allows for the estimation of occupational respiratory risks even in the absence of direct environmental monitoring. METHODS: We employ a novel methodology utilizing data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79), and ratings of job exposures from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), which are based on 70 years of empirical data compiled by the U.S. Department of Labor. A series of multivariable logistic regression analyses are performed to determine how long-term exposure to a particular occupational O*NET indicator (e.g., working in an extremely hot or cold environment) is related to asthma and COPD risk. RESULTS: The risk of contracting COPD was significantly associated with long-term work in very hot or cold temperatures (OR = 1.50, CI: 1.07-2.10), performing physically demanding activities (OR = 1.65, CI:1.20-2.28), working outdoors exposed to weather (OR = 1.45, CI:1.06-1.99), and workplace exposure to contaminants (OR = 1.42, CI:1.05-1.96). In general, the effects of exposure were greater for COPD than for asthma. With respect to contracting asthma, only exposure to work in very hot or cold temperatures (OR = 1.35, CI:1.08-1.70) and performing physically demanding activities (OR = 1.23, CI:1.00-1.52) were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Use of O*NET job descriptors as surrogate measures of workplace exposures can provide a useful way of analyzing the risk of occupationally-related respiratory disease in situations where direct exposure measurement is not feasible. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Asthma Asthma, Occupational Chronic Disease Environmental Exposure Epidemiology Lung Lung Diseases Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Respiratory Protective Devices Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Temperature

  More +
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Environmental Development Bronchial-asthma Chronic-inflammation Environmental-exposure Exercise Induced Exposure-levels Lung-disease Lung-disorders Mechanisms Occupational-exposure Physical-reactions Prevention Respirators Respiratory-system-disorders Risk-factors Statistical-analysis Temperature-effects

  More +
• ISSN:
  0277-0903
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 10 ; OSHA Region 5 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  51
• Issue:
  8
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20045360
• Citation:
  J Asthma 2014 Oct; 51(8):799-807
• Contact Point Address:
  Allard E. Dembe, Sc.D., Division of Health Services Management & Policy, Director, Center for Health Outcomes, Policy and Evaluation Studies, The Ohio State University College of Public Health, 283 Cunz Hall, 1841 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210
• Email:
  adembe@cph.osu.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• Performing Organization:
  Ohio State University
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20120701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Asthma
• End Date:
  20150630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:c23f33ac7ab4ca8f38e44faf693165bf5d04f89f797d3a44353ffce29fc34739854cb3fc14e9190be1dd81bbba7063a2fa2873088381849c6e3a134574cd08ae
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/200808/cdc_200808_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 204.29 KB ]