Association between outdoor ozone and compensated acute respiratory diseases among workers in Quebec (Canada).
Respiratory effects of ozone in the workplace have not been extensively studied. Our aim was to explore the relationship between daily average ozone levels and compensated acute respiratory problems among workers in Quebec between 2003 and 2010 using a time-stratified case-crossover design. Health data came from the Workers' Compensation Board. Daily concentrations of ozone were estimated using a spatiotemporal model. Conditional logistic regressions, with and without adjustment for temperature, were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs, per 1 ppb increase of ozone), and lag effects were assessed. Relationships with respiratory compensations in all industrial sectors were essentially null. Positive non-statistically significant associations were observed for outdoor sectors, and decreased after controlling for temperature (ORs of 0.98; 1.01 and 1.05 at Lags 0, 1 and 2 respectively). Considering the predicted increase of air pollutant concentrations in the context of climate change, closer investigation should be carried out on outdoor workers.
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Canada.
Ariane
A
Adam-Poupart
France
F
Labrèche
Marc-Antoine
MA
Busque
Allan
A
Brand
Patrice
P
Duguay
Michel
M
Fournier
Joseph
J
Zayed
Audrey
A
Smargiassi
D000208:Acute Disease; D000383:Agriculture; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry; D019649:Food Industry; D016468:Forestry; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D011792:Quebec / Q000453:epidemiology; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis; D013696:Temperature; D014186:Transportation
D010126:Ozone