title: Work-related reactive airways dysfunction syndrome cases from surveillance in selected US states.
abstract: The objective was to elaborate the descriptive epidemiology of work-related cases of reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS). Cases of work-related asthma (WRA) were identified in four states in the United States during 1993-1995 as part of the Sentinel Event Notification Systems for Occupational Risks (SENSOR). Information gathered by follow-back interview was used to describe 123 work-related RADS cases and to compare them to 301 other WRA cases whose onset of disease was associated with a known asthma inducer. RADS represented 14% of all new-onset WRA cases identified by the state SENSOR surveillance systems. RADS cases had significant adverse medical and occupational outcomes identified by follow-back interview. In particular, 89% still had breathing problems, 78% had ever sought emergency care and 39% had ever been hospitalized for work-related breathing problems, 54% had applied for worker compensation benefits, and 41% had left the company where they experienced onset of asthma. These values equaled or exceeded the comparable figures for those WRA cases whose onset was attributed to a known inducer. Work-related RADS represents a minority of all WRA cases, but the adverse impact of this condition appears to equal that of other WRA cases.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1095 Willowdale Road M/S H-2800, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA. pkh0@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Paul K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Henneberger
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Derk
authors.forename: Letitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Catharine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tumpowsky
authors.forename: Mary Jo
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.forename: Kenneth D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Rosenman
authors.forename: Donald P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Schill
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Valiante
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Flattery
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Reinisch
authors.forename: Margaret S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Filios
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tift
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology