Work-Related Psychosocial Stress as a Risk Factor for Asthma, Allergy, and Respiratory Infections in the Swedish Workforce

Runeson-Broberg, Roma; Norbäck, Dan

doi:10.2466/15.14.pr0.114k20w3

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 45 publications

(50 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Less control over the work conditions is expected to be a psychosocial risk factor at work. In a previous cross-sectional study on associations between the psychosocial work environment in the Swedish workforce, atopy and asthma symptoms, no associations were found between low control and atopy [ 24 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The fourth set was about asthma, bronchitis, nonspecific hyperreactivity, and airway infections. The questions on asthma and respiratory symptoms were obtained from European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) [ 26 ], and two Swedish population studies [ 24 , 27 ]. The questions on psychosocial work conditions were obtained from a standardized indoor questionnaire (MM 040 NA) developed by the Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine in Örebro University Hospital [ 28 ].The questions on specific work environment factors relevant for airline crews were obtained from another questionnaire[ 6 ], which was developed by the Clinic for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The role of the psychosocial work environment have been studied among pilots with respect musculoskeletal symptoms and sleeping problems [ 23 ]. Psychosocial stress can increase the risk for airway infections, especially among men [ 24 ]. However, we found no studies on associations between the psychosocial work environment and respiratory illness among pilots.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Respiratory Illness and Allergy Related to Work and Home Environment among Commercial Pilots

Lindgren

Wieslander

et al. 2016

PLoS ONE

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The aim was to study associations between work and home environment and prevalence and incidence of respiratory health and a history of atopy in a 3-y cohort of commercial pilots. A questionnaire was mailed in 1997 to all pilots in a Scandinavian airline company (N = 622); 577 (93%) participated. The same questionnaire was sent to the participants 3 years later, 436 participated (76%). There were questions on asthma, respiratory symptoms and infections, allergies, the cabin environment, psychosocial environment and the home environment. Associations were analyzed by multiple logistic regression, calculating odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). The incidence of doctors’ diagnosed asthma and atopy were 2.4 and 16.6 per 1000 person years, respectively. Pilots changing type of flight during follow-up got more airway infections (OR = 11.27; 95% CI 2.39–53.14). Those reporting decreased work control (OR = 1.85; 95% CI 1.03–3.31 for 1 unit change) and those with environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) at home (OR = 3.73; 95% CI 1.09–12.83) had a higher incidence of atopy during follow up. Dampness or mould at home was associated with a higher prevalence of asthma symptoms (OR = 3.55; 95% CI 1.43–8.82) and airway infections (OR = 3.12 95% CI 1.27–7.68). Window pane condensation in winter at home, reported at baseline, was associated with increased incidence of asthma symptoms (OR = 4.14; 95% CI 1.32–12.97) and pilots living in newer buildings at baseline had a higher incidence of airway infections (OR = 5.23; 95% CI 1.43–19.10). In conclusion, lack of work control and ETS at home can be a risk factors for development of allergic symptoms in pilots. Window pane condensation at home can be a risk factor for incidence of asthma symptoms. Dampness and mould at home can be a risk factor for prevalence of asthma symptoms and airway infections and living in newer buildings can be a risk factor for incidence of airway infections.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Respiratory Illness and Allergy Related to Work and Home Environment among Commercial Pilots

Lindgren

Wieslander

et al. 2016

PLoS ONE

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Previous studies have been associated with the activation of stress factors with disease pathogenesis along respiratory tissues ( Lim et al, 2014 ; Runeson-Broberg and Norback, 2014 ; Tomljenovic et al, 2014 ; Yang et al, 2014a ). Utilizing an experimental model of aversive stress and S. pneumoniae infection, we demonstrated CRH’s ability to regulate disease severity by controlling cellular immune and inflammatory responses ( Kim et al, 2011 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

CRH promotes S. pneumoniae growth in vitro and increases lung carriage in mice

Ndjom

Jones

2015

Front. Microbiol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae), a commensal across the nasal passages, is responsible for the majority of infectious pneumonia cases worldwide. Previous studies have shown that hormonal factors may be influential in regulating S. pneumoniae’s transition from a non-pathogen to a pathogenic state. The current study investigated the effects of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), a peptide hormone involved in stress, on the pathogenicity of S. pneumoniae. Mice were infected with CRH-treated S. pneumoniae via intranasal route, showing an increase in pulmonary bacterial burden. We also quantified S. pneumoniae’s response to CRH through limited serial dilutions and growth curve analysis. We demonstrated that CRH promotes S. pneumoniae titer-dependent proliferation, as well as accelerates log-phase growth. Results also showed an increase in pneumococcal-associated virulence protein A virulence gene expression in response to CRH. These results demonstrate a role for CRH in S. pneumoniae pathogenicity, thus implicating CRH in mediating the transition of S. pneumoniae into a pathogenic state.

show abstract

“…15 Studies on occupational stress, high demand, low control and inadequate social support as risk factors for respiratory infections have chiefly relied on self-reported outcomes and inconsistently reported higher risk for common cold. [16][17][18] The lack of large prospective studies on occupational stress and a wide spectrum of infections objectively measured prompted us to investigate this association using a cohort of about 25 000 employed individuals followed-up up to 19 years with record linkages.…”

Section: Workplacementioning

confidence: 99%

Prospective study of job stress and risk of infections in Swedish adults

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ObjectivesPsychological stress may influence both susceptibility and severity of infections. Although work-related stress is a widespread concern among many employees, few studies have been conducted with the focus on work stressors and infections. We therefore aimed to investigate this association in a prospective cohort study.MethodsOur study included 25 029 employed individuals who filled-out a questionnaire in September 1997 and were followed through record linkages until retirement or December 2016. Work stress was assessed at baseline using a Swedish version of the Demand-Control Questionnaire, whereas hospital contacts related to infections were identified from the National Patient Register. We fitted extensions of the standard Cox model to account for recurrent infections.ResultsIn total, we observed 8257 infections. Individuals in the third tertile of job demand had a 13% higher hazard of infections (HR=1.13; 95% CI=1.03 to 1.24) compared with individuals in the first tertile, specifically an increased incidence of upper respiratory tract infections (HR=1.15; 95% CI=1.00 to 1.33) and urinary tract infections (HR=1.31; 95% CI=1.09 to 1.57) was found. Employees with the highest job control (third tertile) had no lower risk of infections than individuals in the lowest tertile (HR=1.02; 95% CI=0.92 to 1.13). When combining the demand and control dimensions into job strain scale, no association between high job strain and infections was observed (HR=1.08; 95% CI=0.97 to 1.21).ConclusionHigh job demand, but not low job control, is associated with an increased occurrence of infections. No difference was observed in workers with high strain jobs compared with those with low strain jobs.

show abstract

Work-Related Psychosocial Stress as a Risk Factor for Asthma, Allergy, and Respiratory Infections in the Swedish Workforce

Cited by 13 publications

References 45 publications

Respiratory Illness and Allergy Related to Work and Home Environment among Commercial Pilots

Respiratory Illness and Allergy Related to Work and Home Environment among Commercial Pilots

CRH promotes S. pneumoniae growth in vitro and increases lung carriage in mice

Prospective study of job stress and risk of infections in Swedish adults

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About