Occupational asthma in New South Wales (NSW): a population-based study.
BACKGROUND
The proportion of asthma in adults that is due to occupational exposures is not known.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the contribution of workplace exposures to the development of asthma in adults in New South Wales (NSW) in a cross sectional, population-based study.


METHODS
A randomly selected population of 5,331 18- to 49-year olds completed and returned a mailed questionnaire (response rate 37%). In adult-onset asthmatics we examined the association of asthma with reported exposure, within 1 year of asthma onset, to a list of occupations and exposures known to be at risk for occupational asthma (high-risk jobs and exposures).


RESULTS
Among 910 subjects (18%) with asthma, 383 (7%) subjects reported adult-onset disease. After adjusting for sex, age and smoking, working in any high-risk job or exposure at the time of asthma onset was significantly associated with adult-onset asthma (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.19-1.92). The population attributable risk (PAR) of adult-onset asthma for either a high-risk job or an exposure was 9.5%. Sudden onset, irritant or reactive airways dysfunction syndrome type exposures were associated with adult-onset asthma (OR 4.65, 95% CI 1.64-13.2). The PAR of adult-onset asthma for these exposures was 0.2%.


CONCLUSIONS
Reported adult onset of asthma is common and occupational exposures may be associated with 9.5% of prevalent cases of adult-onset asthma in NSW.
Johnson
Anthony
A
Cooperative Research Centre for Asthma, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, NSW, Australia. anthonyj@ddb.nsw.gov.au
Toelle
Brett G
BG
Yates
Deborah
D
Belousova
Elena
E
Ng
Kitty
K
Corbett
Stephen
S
Marks
Guy
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence