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Abstract
Objective: The recent increase in asthma prevalence is thought to be partially due to environmental changes such as changes in air pollution and occupational exposures. Nationally representative information on workplace exposures among US adults with asthma is limited. Methods: We examined 2010 National Health Interview Survey data to determine the proportion of employed adults with asthma who had frequent workplace exposures. Results: Among adults with current asthma, 19.6% frequently worked outdoors, 17.5% were frequently exposed to workplace secondhand smoke and 28.1% were frequently exposed to workplace vapors, gas, dust or fumes. Adults ever told by a health professional that asthma is probably work-related, when compared to adults who were not, had increased odds of frequent work outdoors [prevalence odds ratio (POR) = 2.76], frequent workplace exposure to secondhand smoke (POR = 3.08) and frequent workplace exposure to vapors, gas, dust or fumes (POR = 3.56). Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first population-based study in USA that estimates the proportion of working adults with asthma that have frequent workplace exposures. Increasing the understanding of workplace exposures among adults with asthma will help enable prevention of asthma through workplace exposure reduction or avoidance. Future studies should further examine industries and occupations of individuals with asthma and frequent workplace exposures.
Acknowledgements
We thank Maria C. Mirabelli, PhD, MPH, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Laura Kurth, PhD, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), CDC, for their helpful comments. We thank Sara E. Luckhaupt, MD, NIOSH, CDC, for her active role as the Project Officer for the National Health Interview Survey Occupational Health Supplement. The Supplement was successfully completed because of her leadership. We thank James M. Dahlhamer, PhD and Brian W. Ward, PhD, National Center for Health Statistics, CDC, for their contribution to the National Health Interview Survey Occupational Health Supplement survey planning, questionnaire development, and data collection and preparation for public use.
Declaration of interest
The authors received no funding for this work and have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.