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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Grace Sembajwe¹, Manuel Cifuentes¹, SangWoo Tak, ScD², Rebecca Gore, PhD¹, David Kriebel, ScD³, and Laura Punnett¹. (1) Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell, One University Ave., Lowell, MA 01854, 978-934-4851, grace_sembajwe@student.uml.edu, (2) Dept. of Work Environment, Univ. of Mass. Lowell, 1 University Avenue, Lowell, MA 01854, (3) Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell, One University Ave, Kitson 200, Lowell, MA 01854

The World Health Organization World Health Survey was administered in 70 countries between 2002 and 2003. Associations between occupation (classified in 9 categories) and the prevalence of asthma and shortness of breath among household primary respondents (n = 311,130) were examined. The objectives for these analyses were to assess the distribution of health outcomes by occupation and the variation across 4 regions designated as proxies for levels of industrial and economic development. Asthma cases were defined as diagnosed (ever treated or diagnosed); definite (ever treated or diagnosed and having one or more current symptoms of wheezing or whistling in the chest); and possible asthma (never diagnosed or treated but exhibiting current symptoms). Associations between occupation and health outcome were computed, adjusting for age and stratifying by gender and smoking status. The SAS Glimmix procedure was used in a weighted mixed model analysis. Associations varied, sometimes significantly, across regions. In general, prevalence ratios (PR) for diagnosed/definite asthma and shortness of breath were highest for clerks, military, and elementary workers (PR about 1.7, 1.2, and 1.6, respectively) compared to a referent population of managers and professionals. PRs for possible asthma were also elevated among agriculture/fishery workers, clerks, and craft/trades workers. Among those unemployed (5 different reasons), PRs for definite and possible asthma were highest in those not working due to illness. Overall, women, the elderly, and smokers had higher PRs than men, younger adults, and non-smokers, respectively.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn how associations between sector of employment and risk of adverse respiratory symptoms appear at the global level and vary by regional/national level of development.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation