Household use of green and homemade cleaning products, wipe application mode, and asthma among French adults from the CONSTANCES cohort

Abstract

While exposure to irritant and sprayed cleaning products at home is known to have a harmful role in asthma, the potential health effect of other categories or forms has not been investigated. We studied the associations of household use of cleaning products, including green, homemade products, and disinfecting wipes, with asthma based on data from the large French population‐based CONSTANCES cohort. Participants completed standardized questionnaires on respiratory health and household use of cleaning products. Cross‐sectional associations of cleaning products with current asthma, adjusted for gender, age, smoking status, BMI, and educational level, were evaluated by logistic regressions. Analyses were conducted in 41 570 participants (mean age: 47 years, 56% women, weekly use of the six specific products/forms studied varied from 11% to 37%). Weekly use of irritants (OR = 1.23 [1.13–1.35]), scented (OR = 1.15 [1.06–1.26]), green (OR = 1.09 [1.00–1.20]), and homemade products (OR = 1.19 [1.06–1.34]), as well as sprays (OR = 1.18 [1.08–1.29]), disinfecting wipes (OR = 1.21 [1.09–1.34]) were significantly associated with asthma, with significant trends according to the frequency of use. When they were not co‐used with irritants/sprays, associations were reduced and persisted only for disinfecting wipes. Weekly use of disinfecting wipes at home was associated with current asthma, but fewer risks were observed for the use of green and homemade products.

Update on irritant-induced occupational asthma

“…These findings suggest that the burden of symptoms induced by airborne irritants might be reduced by empowering workers who have limited control over the products they use. In another recent publication, individuals using ‘green’ or home-made products for home cleaning rather than sprays or irritants [49] had a lower asthma risk. However additional studies are needed to confirm these findings.…”

ERS International Congress 2022: highlights from the Epidemiology and Environment Assembly

“…Behzad Heibati presented a study on healthcare workers and concluded that exposure to cleaning agents increased the occurrence of respiratory symptoms among them [45]. Emilie Pacheco Da Silva et al [46] examined the use of cleaning agents in the French Constances cohort and found that weekly use of commercial disinfecting wipes at home was associated with current asthma, similarly to weekly use of irritants and sprays, but fewer risks were observed with the use of green and home-made products [47]. Guillaume Sit et al [48], in the French NutriNet-Santé cohort, found that occupational exposures to both sensitizers and irritants were associated with current adult-onset asthma and uncontrolled asthma.…”

“…P acheco D a S ilva et al . [ 46 ] examined the use of cleaning agents in the French Constances cohort and found that weekly use of commercial disinfecting wipes at home was associated with current asthma, similarly to weekly use of irritants and sprays, but fewer risks were observed with the use of “green” and home-made products [ 47 ]. S it et al .…”