Consequences of occupational asthma on employment and financial status: a follow-up study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe changes in employment and income following a diagnosis of occupational asthma, and to determine what factors might affect these changes.Two hundred and nine patients with occupational asthma were reviewed on average 3.1 yrs after the diagnosis had been made. They were contacted by telephone or were sent a self-administered questionnaire by post. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed to determine which variables were associated with loss of employment after the diagnosis.At the time of review, 44% of patients had left their previous job and 25% were currently unemployed. Remarkably, 32% remained exposed to the offending agents in the same job. Forty six percent of the patients had suffered a reduction of income (84% of those who had left their employer versus 19% of those still employed in the same company (p<0.001)). Claims for compensation, size of the company, level of education, and age at the time of diagnosis were significantly associated with a risk for becoming unemployed or having a new employer after the diagnosis of occupational asthma.Occupational asthma results in severe socioeconomic consequences. The French compensation system for occupational asthma should be revised, as the criteria currently used to determine compensation for this disease largely underestimate the social and occupational damages.

Health-related quality of life among adults with work-related asthma in the United States

“…This may be because we only examined individuals who had ever been employed while other studies included individuals regardless of employment status. For individuals with work-related asthma, this may be explained, in part, by the fact that the diagnosis of work-related asthma can result in job change or job loss [21,36] and/or decreased income [42], and consequently, the diagnosis of work-related asthma may affect a person's mental health [29].…”

Occupational asthma: a review.

“…Disease severity plays a major role, but working conditions are a potent factor in determining who experiences disability and who does not (71)(72)(73). As a consequence of this high rate of disability, occupational asthma often has a substantial socioeconomic impact, with one study (69) finding that approximately 50% of affected workers suffered a reduction in income 3 years after the diagnosis was made. Physicians are often asked to assist their patients diagnosed with occupational asthma to obtain workers' compensation for any disabilities caused by the disease.…”

“…Rates of job loss or job change are high (66)(67)(68)(69)(70). Disease severity plays a major role, but working conditions are a potent factor in determining who experiences disability and who does not (71)(72)(73).…”

Untersuchungsmethoden für die Arbeitsmedizinische Vorsorge bei Platinsalzexposition – eine exploratorische Datenanalyse

“…Als individuelle Folgen der Erkrankung für den einzelnen Arbeiter werden der Verlust des Arbeitsplatzes, die nachfolgende Arbeitslosigkeit, ein geringeres Einkommen oder die Herabstufung der Position beschrieben (Ameille et al, 1997;Moscato et al, 1999). Diese individuellen sozioökonomischen Folgen können selbst dann schon auftreten, wenn nur asthmatische Beschwerden mit Bezug zur Arbeit berichtet werden, ohne dass bereits eine exakte Diagnose gestellt wurde (Larbanois et al, 2002).…”