Occupations with an increased prevalence of self-reported asthma in Indian adults

Figures & data

Table 1. Example of the Revised Indian National Classification of Occupations 5-level classifications.

Division (one-digit code)	2	Professionals
SubDivision (two-digit code)	22	Life Science and Health Professionals
Group (three-digit code)	222	Health Professionals (except nursing)
Family (four-digit code)	2222	Physicians and Surgeons, Ayurvedic
Occupations (six-digit code)	2222.10	Physicians, Ayurvedic

Table 2. Characteristics of the study participants (men and women reporting their current occupation).

	Men age 15–54 years n = 64 725 (37.4%)		Women age 15–49 years n = 52 994 (62.6%)
Characteristics	N	%	N	%
Currently Smoking
No	40 737	62.9	51 770	97.7
Yes	23 988	37.1	1202	2.3
Household cooking fuel use
Clean	28 065	43.4	18 506	41.2
Solid-less clean	1351	2.1	949	2.1
Biomass-not clean	35 285	54.5	25 435	56.7
Age
15–19	6381	9.9	8228	15.5
20–34	30 154	46.6	25 264	47.7
35–49	23 756	36.7	19 480	36.8
50–54	4434	6.9	–	–
Mean	32.8		30.5
SD	±10.2		±9.4
Education
No education	13 542	20.9	28 666	54.1
Primary	12 252	18.9	8120	15.3
Secondary	31 432	48.6	13 202	24.5
Higher	7482	11.6	3184	6.0
Wealth index
Lowest	10 991	17.0	13 576	25.5
Second	12 251	18.9	12 811	24.2
Middle	13 415	20.7	11 791	22.3
Fourth	14 159	21.9	8673	16.4
Highest	13 909	21.5	6182	11.7
Residence
Urban	22 810	35.2	11 837	22.3
Rural	41 915	64.8	41 135	77.7
Access to health care
Public medical sector	27 511	42.5	17 692	39.4
NGO or trust hospital/clinic	309	0.5	184	0.4
Private medical sector	36 570	56.5	26 796	59.7
Other sources	317	0.5	219	0.5
Current Asthma
No	63 478	98.1	51 955	98.1
Yes	1238	1.9	997	1.9

Table 3. Odds ratios for asthma prevalence for major occupational categories by gender, India 2005–2006.

		Men				Women
NCO 2004 codes^a	Occupation categories	Total sample N [%]	Current Asthma Prevalence N[%]	OR[95% CI]^b	p	Total sample N [%]	Current asthma prevalence N[%]	OR[95% CI]^b	p
1,2,4	Legislators, managers, administrators, clerks and reminder professionals	11 526 [17.8]	180 [1.6]	1.00 [ref]		5255 [9.9]	122 [2.3]	1.00 [ref]
3	Technicians and Associate professionals	1102 [1.7]	19 [1.7]	1.23 [0.76–1.97]	0.399	236 [0.4]	2 [0.9]	0.49 [0.13–1.83]	0.290
5	Service workers and shop and market sales workers	6119 [9.5]	95 [1.6]	0.89 [0.69–1.16]	0.379	3795 [7.2]	91 [2.4]	1.02 [0.71–1.43]	0.899
6	Skilled agricultural and fishery workers	11 931 [18.4]	251 [2.1]	0.96 [0.77–1.19]	0.694	13 176 [24.9]	212 [1.6]	0.77 [0.56–1.08]	0.131
7	Crafts and Related Trade Workers	11 322 [17.5]	174 [1.5]	0.90 [0.72–1.12]	0.344	5405 [10.2]	113 [2.1]	0.98 [0.70–1.39]	0.925
8	Plant and Machine Operators and Assemblers	1095 [1.7]	34 [3.1]	1.67 [1.14–2.45]	0.009	1787 [3.4]	35 [2.0]	1.00 [0.61–1.65]	0.997
9	Elementary Occupations	21 631 [33.4]	486 [2.2]	1.06 [0.86–1.29]	0.626	23 318 [44.4]	423 [1.8]	0.92 [0.66–1.27]	0.595
	Total	64 725	1239 [1.9]			52994	996 [1.9]

^aAdapted from the Revised Indian National Classification of Occupations (NCO)-2004.

^bOdds ratios adjusted for age, education, household wealth index, current smoking, household cooking fuel use, urban/rural residence and access to health care.

Table 4. Adjusted odds ratios for asthma prevalence for major occupational subcategories by gender, India 2005–2006.

		Men				Women
NCO 2004 codes	Occupation subcategories	Total sample N [%]	Current asthma prevalence N [%]	OR [95% CI]^a	p	Total sample N [%]	Current asthma prevalence N [%]	OR [95% CI]^a	p
11,12,21,22,23,  24,41,42	Legislators, managers, administrators, clerks and reminder professionals	11 526 [17.8]	180 [1.6]	1 [ref]		5255 [4.2]	122 [2.3]	1 [ref]
31	Physical and Engineering Science Associate Professionals	65 [0.1]	2 [3.1]	1.93 [0.42–8.80]	0.398	3 [0.0]	0 [0.0]	–
32	Life Science and Health Associate Professionals	13 [0.0]	0 [0.0]	–	–	3 [0.0]	0 [0.0]	–
34	Other Associate Professionals	1024 [1.6]	18 [1.8]	1.20 [0.73–1.97]	0.474	229 [0.4]	2 [0.9]	0.50 [0.14–1.86]	0.303
51	Personal and protective service workers	2946 [4.6]	51 [1.7]	1.00 [0.73–1.37]	0.984	2920 [5.5]	65 [2.2]	0.95 [0.67–1.35]	0.766
52	Models, sales persons and demonstrators	3172 [4.9]	44 [1.4]	0.78 [0.55–1.10]	0.150	875 [1.7]	27 [3.1]	1.27 [0.79–2.03]	0.327
61	Market Oriented Skilled Agricultural and Fishery Workers	11 931 [18.4]	251 [2.1]	0.94 [0.75–1.17]	0.569	13 176 [24.9]	212 [1.6]	0.78 [0.59–1.03]	0.076
71	Extraction and Building Trades Workers	5004 [7.7]	66 [1.3]	0.72 [0.53–0.97]	0.029	747 [1.4]	11 [1.5]	0.81 [0.43–1.54]	0.473
72	Metal, Machinery and Related Trades Workers	3103 [4.8]	53 [1.7]	1.06 [0.77–1.45]	0.736	265 [0.5]	7 [2.6]	1.52 [0.68–3.39]	0.307
73	Precision, Handicraft, Printing and Related Trades Workers	774 [1.2]	8 [1.0]	0.68 [0.33–1.40]	0.294	189 [0.4]	2 [1.1]	0.70 [0.19–2.65]	0.603
74	Other Craft and Related Trades Workers	2441 [3.8]	47 [1.9]	1.11 [0.79–1.55]	0.556	4203 [7.9]	93 [2.2]	1.01 [0.73–1.40]	0.971
81	Stationary Plant and Related Operators	191 [0.3]	3 [1.6]	0.82 [0.27–2.45]	0.721	60 [0.0]	0 [0.0]	–
82	Machine Operators and Assemblers	904 [1.4]	31 [3.4]	1.85 [1.24–2.76]	0.002	1727 [3.3]	35 [2.0]	1.04 [0.66–1.64]	0.876
91	Sales and Services Elementary Occupations	8361 [12.9]	151 [1.8]	0.85 [0.66–1.09]	0.195	5200 [9.8]	87 [1.7]	0.80 [0.59–1.08]	0.137
92	Agricultural, Fishery and Related Labourers	10 186 [15.7]	259 [2.5]	1.08 [0.86–1.36]	0.488	18 105 [34.2]	336 [1.9]	0.91 [0.71–1.15]	0.414
93	Labourers in Mining, Construction, Manufacturing and Transport	3084 [4.1]	76 [2.5]	1.33 [1.00–1.77]	0.051	13 [0.0]	0 [0.0]	–
	Total	64 725	1240 [1.9]			52 994	996 [1.9]

^aOdds ratios adjusted for age, current smoking, household cooking fuel use, urban/rural residence, and access to health care.

Table 5. Adjusted odds ratios for asthma prevalence for high-risk occupations subcategories by gender, India 2005–2006.

	Men				Women
Occupational categories	Total sample N [%]	Current asthma prevalence N [%]	OR [95% CI]^a	p Values	Total sample N [%]	Current asthma prevalence N [%]	OR [95% CI]^a	p Values
Reference group  (Low-risk occupation)	11 526 [17.8]	180 [1.6]	1 [ref]		5255 [9.9]	120 [2.3]
High-risk occupation	53 198 [82.2]	1058 [2.0]	0.99 [0.82–1.19]	0.910	47 718 [90.1]	876 [1.8]	0.91 [0.68–1.22]	0.527

^aOdds ratios adjusted for age, education, household wealth index, current smoking, household cooking fuel use, urban/rural residence and access to health care.

Table A1. List of occupational categories given in the NFHS-3 data; coded with corresponding NCO codes.

NCO2004 codes	Occupation categories
1.	Legislators, senior officials and managers
111	Elected and legislative officials
112	Administrative and executive officials government and local
1129	Administrative, executive and managerial workers, n.e.c
113	Village officials
1212	Directors and managers, financial institutions
1213	Working proprietors, directors and managers mining construct
1214	Working proprietors, directors and managers, wholesale and retailers
1215	Working proprietors, directors managers and related executives in transport & communication
1219	Working proprietors, directors and managers, other services, n.e.c
1224	Production and Operations Department Managers in Wholesale and Retail Trade
1239	Other Department Managers, n.e.c.
2.	Professionals
2119	Physical scientists, n.e.c
2129	Mathematecians, Statisticians, and related professionals, n.e.c
2132	Programmer, Engineering and Scientific
214	Architects, engineers, technologists and surveyors
2143	Engineering technicians
222	Health professionals-except nursing (physicians and surgeons)
2229	Health professionals (except nursing), n.e.c
223	Nursing and other medical and health technicians
23	Teaching professionals
24	Other Professionals
2411	Accountants, auditors and related works
2422	Jurist
2441	Economist and related workers
244	Social science and related professionals
2451	Authors, journalist and other writers
2452	Sculptors, painters and related artists
2453	Composers, musicians and singers
3.	Technicians and associate professionals
311	Physical and engineering science technicians
3132	Broadcasting and Telecommunication Equipment Operators
314	Ship and aircraft controllers and technicians
32	Life Science and Health associate Professionals
3411	Securities and finance dealers and brokers, Insurance Representatives, Estate agents, business services agents and trade brokers, n.e.c
3415	Technical Salesmen and Commercial Travellers, Other
3429	-Business Services Agents and Trade Brokers, n.e.c
4.	Clerks
4111	Stenographers and key board-operating clerks
4114	Calculating Machine operators
4121	Accounting and book keeping clerks
4133	Transport and communication supervisors
4142	Mail Carriers and Sorting Clerks
4190	Office clerks-others
41	Office clerks
4214	Pawnbrokers and Money Lenders
4222	Telephone Switch Board operators
5.	Service workers and shop and market sales worker
51	Personal and Protective Service Workers
5112	Transport conductors
5121	House keepers and related workers
5122	Cooks, waiters and bartenders
512	Housekeeping and restaurant services workers
5139	Personal care and related workers, n.e.c
5141	Hair dresser, barbers, beauticians and related workers
516	Protective service workers
5220	Shop salesperson and Demonstrators
6.	Skilled agricultural and fishery workers
61	Market Oriented Skilled Agricultural and Fishery Workers
6111	Cultivator, Crop
6121	Farmer, Livestock
6121.50	Dairy Farm Workers, Other
615	Fishery Workers, Hunters and Trappers
7.	Craft and related trades worker
711	Miners, Shotfirers, Stone Cutters and Carvers
7113	Stone Splitters, Cutters and Carvers
7124	Carpenters and Joiners
7136	Plumbers and Pipe Fitters, Other
7141	Painters and Related Workers, Other
721	Metal moulders, Welders, Sheet Metal Workers, Structural Metal Prepares and Related Trades Workers
722	Blacksmiths, Toolmakers and Related Trades Workers
723	Machinery Mechanics and Fitters
7233	Mechanic, Stationery Steam Engine
724	Electrical and Electronic Equipment Mechanics and Fitters
7313	Jewellery and Precision Metal Workers
7322	Glass Makers, Cutters, Grinders and Finishers
7432	Weavers, Knitters & Related Workers, Other
7433	Tailors, Dress Makers and Hatters
7441	Pelt Dressers, Tanners and Fell Mongers, Other
7442	Shoemakers and Related Workers
8.	Plant and machine operators and assemblers
814	Wood Processing and Paper Making Plant Operators
815	Chemical-Processing-Plant Operators
823	Rubber and Plastic Products Machine Operators
8258	Printing, Binding and Paper Products Machine Operators, Other
827	Food and Related Products Machine Operators
8279	Tobacco Preparers and Tobacco Product Makers, Others
9.	Elementary occupations
9133	Hand Launderers and Pressers
9141	Building Caretakers
9162	Sweepers and Related Labourers, Other
9201	Labourer, Agriculture
9202	Forestry Labourer
9202.10	Labourer, Plantation
9331	Transport Equipment Operators and Drivers, Other
10.	Workers not classified by occupation
X0	New workers seeking employment
X9	Workers without occupations, Other

n.e.c – not elsewhere classified.

Table A2. Asthma prevalence in the full sample; among men age 15–54 years (n = 74 369) and women age 15–49 years (n = 124 385) by occupational categories.

	Men		Women
Occupational categories	Sample	Asthma prevalence N [%]	Sample	Asthma prevalence N [%]
Physical scientists	17	–	1	–
Architects, engineers, technologists and surveyors	147	–	20	–
Engineering technicians	244	1 [0.4]	29	1 [3.4]
Aircraft and ships officers	5	–	1	–
Life scientist/life science technicians	13	–	5	–
Physicians and surgeons	155	1 [0.6]	67	–
Nursing and other medical and health technicians	280	–	372	12 [3.2]
Scientific, medical and technical persons, others	51	–	12	–
Mathematicians, statisticians and related workers	19	–	7	–
Economists and related workers	8	–	1	–
Accountants, auditors and related workers	247	1 [0.4]	117	4[3.4]
Social scientists and related workers	56	–	106	–
Jurists	174	9 [5.2]	17	–
Teachers	1396	28 [2.0]	2346	53 [2.3]
Poets, authors, journalists and related workers	41	–	10	–
Sculptors, painters, photographers and related creative art	176	6 [3.4]	18	–
Composer and performing artists	130	–	19	–
Professional workers, not elsewhere classified	317	7 [2.2]	81	4 [4.9]
Elected and legislative officials	39	3 [7.7]	21	-
Administrative and executive officials government and local	274	3 [1.1]	70	2 [2.9]
Working proprietors, directors and managers, wholesale and retailers	55	2 [3.6]	7	–
Directors and managers, financial institutions	128	3 [2.3]	18	–
Working proprietors, directors and managers mining construct	136	–	22	–
Working proprietors, directors managers and related executives	74	–	6	–
Working proprietors, directors and managers, other services	103	3 [2.9]	19	1 [5.3]
Administrative, executive and managerial workers, not elsewhere classified	136	–	44	2 [4.5]
Clerical and other supervisors	472	3 [0.6]	83	2 [2.4]
Village officials	63	–	128	7 [5.5]
Stenographers, typist and card and tape punching operators	73	–	44	–
Book keepers, cashiers and related workers	155	2 [1.3]	42	2 [4.8]
Computing machine operators	251	2 [0.8]	136	–
Clerical and related workers	1135	19 [1.7]	424	10 [2.4]
Transport and communication supervisors	131	–	12	–
Transport conductors and guards	181	3 [1.7]	2	–
Mail distributors and related workers	110	4 [3.6]	21	1 [4.8]
Telephone and telegraph operators	95	6 [6.3]	65	1 [1.5]
Merchants and shopkeepers, wholesale and retail trade	4443	76 [1.7]	798	16 [2.0]
Manufacturers, agents	221	4 [1.8]	40	–
Technical salesmen and commercial travellers	74	–	6	–
Salesmen, shop assistants and related workers	3173	44 [1.4]	873	27 [3.1]
Insurance, real estate, securities and business service	730	14 [1.9]	182	2 [1.1]
Money lenders and pawn brokers	59	–	10	–
Sales workers, not elsewhere classified	140	1 [0.7]	82	2 [2.4]
Hotel and restaurant keepers	282	2 [0.7]	111	2 [1.8]
House keepers, matron and stewards (domestic and institutional)	33	–	47	2 [4.3]
Cooks, waiters, bartenders and related workers (domestic and international)	424	7 [1.7]	560	6 [1.1]
Maids and related housekeeping service workers, not elsewhere classified	103	–	1652	43 [2.6]
Building caretakers, sweepers, cleaners and related workers	382	13 [3.4]	455	4 [0.9]
Launderers, dry-cleaners and pressers, not elsewhere classified	237	3 [1.3]	250	1 [0.4]
Hair dresser, barbers, beauticians and related workers	394	10 [2.5]	203	3 [1.5]
Protective service workers	884	21 [2.4]	60	2 [3.3]
Service workers	642	8 [1.2]	286	7 [2.4]
Farm plantation, dairy and other managers and supervisors	160	–	50	1 [2.0]
Cultivators	7902	185 [2.3]	7594	112 [1.5]
Farmers, other than cultivators	3154	61 [1.9]	5198	91 [1.8]
Agricultural labourer	9854	246 [2.5]	17242	312 [1.8]
Plantation labourers and related workers	141	9 [6.4]	678	20 [2.9]
Other farm workers	311	2 [0.6]	211	4 [1.9]
Forestry workers	192	5 [2.6]	169	4 [2.4]
Hunters and related workers	–	–	1	–
Fishermen and related workers	403	3 [0.7]	122	4 [3.3]
Miners, quarrymen, well drillers and related workers	290	11 [3.8]	66	2 [3.0]
Metal processors	147	2 [1.4]	43	–
Wood preparation workers and paper makers	127	2 [1.6]	55	–
Chemical processors and related workers	63	1 [1.6]	5	–
Spinners, weavers, knitters, dyers and related workers	714	10 [1.4]	909	24 [2.6]
Tanners, fell mongers and pelt dressers	16	–	7	–
Food and beverage processors	438	14 [3.2]	210	6 [2.9]
Tobacco preparers and tobacco product makers	103	9 [8.7]	1393	23 [1.7]
Tailors, dress makers, sewers, upholsterers and related worker	1415	25 [1.8]	3203	69 [2.2]
Shoemakers and leather goods makers	297	13 [4.4]	85	–
Carpenters, cabinet and related wood workers	929	17 [1.8]	26	2 [7.7]
Stone cutters and carvers	181	–	74	–
Blacksmiths, tool makers and machine tools operators	383	3 [0.8]	32	–
Machinery fitters, machine assemblers and precession instruments	1161	17 [1.5]	9	1 [11.1]
Electrical fitters and related electrical and electronic workers	1055	25 [2.4]	32	3 [9.4]
Broadcasting station and sound equipment operators and cinema	60	2 [3.3]	2	–
Plumbers, welders, sheet metal and structural metal preparers	543	7 [1.3]	10	–
Jewellery and precious metal workers and metal engravers	645	8 [1.2]	108	2 [1.9]
Glass formers, potters and related workers	129	–	81	–
Rubber and plastic product makers workers	81	–	32	–
Paper and paper board products makers/printing and related works	283	8 [2.8]	91	6 [6.6]
Painters/production and related workers, bricklayers and others, not elsewhere classified	3057	30 [1.0]	570	7 [1.2]
Stationery engines and related equipment operators, oilers	356	5 [1.4]	147	2 [1.4]
Transport equipment operators	3083	76 [2.5]	13	–
Labourers, not elsewhere classified	7739	134 [1.7]	4494	81 [1.8]
Others (new workers seeking employment, workers reporting occupation	87	–	85	1 [1.2]
None (workers not reporting any occupation, including housewives	9462	116 [1.2]	71231	1108 [1.6]
Do not know	4	–	3	–
Total^a	74 273	1359 [1.8]	124 289	2104 [1.9]

^aNumber of men and women varies slightly for individual variables depending on the number of missing values.