title: Gender differences in work-related asthma: surveillance data from California, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New Jersey, 1993-2008.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize work-related asthma by gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed state-based sentinel surveillance data on confirmed work-related asthma cases collected from California, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New Jersey during 1993-2008. We used Chi-square and Fisher's Exact Test statistics to compare select characteristics between females and males.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 8239 confirmed work-related asthma cases, 60% were female. When compared to males with work-related asthma, females with work-related asthma were more likely to be identified through workers' compensation (14.8% versus 10.6%) and less likely to be identified through hospital data (14.2% versus 16.9%). Moreover, when compared to males, females were more likely to have work-aggravated asthma (24.4% versus 13.5%) and less likely to have new-onset asthma (48.0% versus 56.5%). Females were also more likely than males with work-related asthma to work in healthcare and social assistance (28.7% versus 5.2%), educational services (11.8% versus 4.2%), and retail trade (5.0% versus 3.9%) industries and in office and administrative support (20.0% versus 4.0%), healthcare practitioners and technical (13.4% versus 1.6%), and education training and library (6.2% versus 1.3%) occupations. Agent groups most frequently associated with work-related asthma were miscellaneous chemicals (20.3%), cleaning materials (15.3%), and indoor air pollutants (14.9%) in females and miscellaneous chemicals (15.7%), mineral and inorganic dusts (13.2%), and pyrolysis products (12.7%) in males.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among adults with work-related asthma, males and females differ in terms of workplace exposures, occupations, and industries. Physicians should consider these gender differences when diagnosing and treating asthma in working adults.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Morgantown, WV , USA .
authors.forename: Gretchen E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Christen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Seaman
authors.forename: Margaret S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Filios
authors.forename: Jacek M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mazurek
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Flattery
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Mary Jo
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.forename: Kenneth D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Rosenman
authors.forename: Margaret E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Lumia
authors.forename: Alicia C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pechter
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fitzsimmons
authors.forename: Letitia K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D009790:Occupations; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014942:Workers' Compensation
keywords: Gender differences; occupational asthma; reactive airways dysfunction syndrome; surveillance; work-aggravated asthma; work-related asthma