The estimated prevalence of exposure to asthmagens in the Australian workforce, 2014

Lin Fritschi; Julie Crewe; Ellie Darcey; Alison Reid; Deborah C Glass; Geza P Benke; Tim Driscoll; Susan Peters; Si Si; Michael J Abramson; Renee N Carey

doi:10.1186/s12890-016-0212-6

The estimated prevalence of exposure to asthmagens in the Australian workforce, 2014

Lin Fritschi, Julie Crewe, Ellie Darcey, Alison Reid, Deborah C Glass, Geza P Benke, Tim Driscoll, Susan Peters, Si Si, Michael J Abramson, Renee N Carey

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There is very little information available on a national level as to the number of people exposed to specific asthmagens in workplaces.

METHODS: We conducted a national telephone survey in Australia to investigate the prevalence of current occupational exposure to 277 asthmagens, assembled into 27 groups. Demographic and current job information were obtained. A web-based tool, OccIDEAS, was used to collect job task information and assign exposure to each asthmagen group.

RESULTS: In the Australian Workplace Exposure Study - Asthma (AWES- Asthma) we interviewed 4878 participants (2441 male and 2437 female). Exposure to at least one asthmagen was more common among men (47%) than women (40%). Extrapolated to the Australian population, approximately 2.8 million men and 1.7 million women were estimated to be exposed. Among men, the most common exposures were bioaerosols (29 %) and metals (27%), whilst the most common exposures among women were latex (25%) and industrial cleaning and sterilising agents (20%).

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides information about the prevalence of exposure to asthmagens in Australian workplaces which will be useful in setting priorities for control and prevention of occupational asthma.

Original language	English
Article number	48
Number of pages	11
Journal	BMC Pulmonary Medicine
Volume	16
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12890-016-0212-6
Publication status	Published - 9 Apr 2016
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Adolescent
Adult
Aerosols
Animals
Arthropods
Asthma, Occupational
Australia
Detergents
Female
Humans
Industry
Latex
Male
Metals
Middle Aged
Mites
Occupational Exposure
Prevalence
Surveys and Questionnaires
Young Adult
Journal Article

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title = "The estimated prevalence of exposure to asthmagens in the Australian workforce, 2014",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: There is very little information available on a national level as to the number of people exposed to specific asthmagens in workplaces.METHODS: We conducted a national telephone survey in Australia to investigate the prevalence of current occupational exposure to 277 asthmagens, assembled into 27 groups. Demographic and current job information were obtained. A web-based tool, OccIDEAS, was used to collect job task information and assign exposure to each asthmagen group.RESULTS: In the Australian Workplace Exposure Study - Asthma (AWES- Asthma) we interviewed 4878 participants (2441 male and 2437 female). Exposure to at least one asthmagen was more common among men (47%) than women (40%). Extrapolated to the Australian population, approximately 2.8 million men and 1.7 million women were estimated to be exposed. Among men, the most common exposures were bioaerosols (29 %) and metals (27%), whilst the most common exposures among women were latex (25%) and industrial cleaning and sterilising agents (20%).CONCLUSIONS: This study provides information about the prevalence of exposure to asthmagens in Australian workplaces which will be useful in setting priorities for control and prevention of occupational asthma.",

keywords = "Adolescent, Adult, Aerosols, Animals, Arthropods, Asthma, Occupational, Australia, Detergents, Female, Humans, Industry, Latex, Male, Metals, Middle Aged, Mites, Occupational Exposure, Prevalence, Surveys and Questionnaires, Young Adult, Journal Article",

author = "Lin Fritschi and Julie Crewe and Ellie Darcey and Alison Reid and Glass, {Deborah C} and Benke, {Geza P} and Tim Driscoll and Susan Peters and Si Si and Abramson, {Michael J} and Carey, {Renee N}",

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doi = "10.1186/s12890-016-0212-6",

language = "English",

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journal = "BMC Pulmonary Medicine",

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publisher = "BioMed Central",

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AU - Crewe, Julie

AU - Darcey, Ellie

AU - Reid, Alison

AU - Glass, Deborah C

AU - Benke, Geza P

AU - Driscoll, Tim

AU - Peters, Susan

AU - Si, Si

AU - Abramson, Michael J

AU - Carey, Renee N

PY - 2016/4/9

Y1 - 2016/4/9

N2 - BACKGROUND: There is very little information available on a national level as to the number of people exposed to specific asthmagens in workplaces.METHODS: We conducted a national telephone survey in Australia to investigate the prevalence of current occupational exposure to 277 asthmagens, assembled into 27 groups. Demographic and current job information were obtained. A web-based tool, OccIDEAS, was used to collect job task information and assign exposure to each asthmagen group.RESULTS: In the Australian Workplace Exposure Study - Asthma (AWES- Asthma) we interviewed 4878 participants (2441 male and 2437 female). Exposure to at least one asthmagen was more common among men (47%) than women (40%). Extrapolated to the Australian population, approximately 2.8 million men and 1.7 million women were estimated to be exposed. Among men, the most common exposures were bioaerosols (29 %) and metals (27%), whilst the most common exposures among women were latex (25%) and industrial cleaning and sterilising agents (20%).CONCLUSIONS: This study provides information about the prevalence of exposure to asthmagens in Australian workplaces which will be useful in setting priorities for control and prevention of occupational asthma.

AB - BACKGROUND: There is very little information available on a national level as to the number of people exposed to specific asthmagens in workplaces.METHODS: We conducted a national telephone survey in Australia to investigate the prevalence of current occupational exposure to 277 asthmagens, assembled into 27 groups. Demographic and current job information were obtained. A web-based tool, OccIDEAS, was used to collect job task information and assign exposure to each asthmagen group.RESULTS: In the Australian Workplace Exposure Study - Asthma (AWES- Asthma) we interviewed 4878 participants (2441 male and 2437 female). Exposure to at least one asthmagen was more common among men (47%) than women (40%). Extrapolated to the Australian population, approximately 2.8 million men and 1.7 million women were estimated to be exposed. Among men, the most common exposures were bioaerosols (29 %) and metals (27%), whilst the most common exposures among women were latex (25%) and industrial cleaning and sterilising agents (20%).CONCLUSIONS: This study provides information about the prevalence of exposure to asthmagens in Australian workplaces which will be useful in setting priorities for control and prevention of occupational asthma.

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KW - Arthropods

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KW - Detergents

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Industry

KW - Latex

KW - Male

KW - Metals

KW - Middle Aged

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KW - Prevalence

KW - Surveys and Questionnaires

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VL - 16

JO - BMC Pulmonary Medicine

JF - BMC Pulmonary Medicine

M1 - 48

ER -

The estimated prevalence of exposure to asthmagens in the Australian workforce, 2014

Abstract

Keywords

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