title: Population-based surveillance of asthma among workers in British Columbia, Canada.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Population-based health databases were used for the surveillance of asthma among workers in British Columbia for the period 1999 to 2003. The purpose was to identify high-risk groups of workers with asthma for further investigation, education and prevention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Workers were identified using an employer-paid health premium field in the provincial health registry, and were linked to their physician visit, hospitalization, workers' compensation and pharmaceutical records; asthma cases were defined by the presence of an asthma diagnosis (International Classification of Diseases [ICD]-9-493) in these health records. Workers were assigned to an ''at-risk'' exposure group based on their industry of employment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For males, significantly higher asthma rates were observed for workers in the Utilities, Transport/Warehousing, Wood and Paper Manufacturing (Sawmills), Health Care/Social Assistance and Education industries. For females, significantly higher rates were found for those working in the Waste Management/Remediation and Health Care/Social Assistance industries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data confirm a high prevalence of active asthma in the working population of British Columbia, and in particular, higher rates among females compared to males and in industries with known respiratory sensitizers such as dust and chemical exposures.
authors.affiliation: School of Population and Public Health, Centre for Health Services and Policy Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. mieke.koehoorn@ubc.ca
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koehoorn
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tamburic
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: McLeod
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Demers
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lynd
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008501:Medical Records, Problem-Oriented / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000145:classification / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014798:Vital Statistics; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data