OBJECTIVES: To develop a qualitative exposure classification of employees in Norwegian smelters and to investigate the relationship between respiratory symptoms and occupational exposure using this classification. METHODS: The 3,924 participants completed a standardised questionnaire including questions of respiratory symptoms, familial asthma, allergy, doctor-diagnosed asthma, smoking habits, previous exposure and occupation. The employees were classified according to their current job function: (1) line operators were employed full time on the production line, (2) non-exposed employees did not work in production, (3) the remaining employees were classified as non-line operators. The association between the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and job category was examined using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 38.6 years (standard deviation 9.2 years), 88.5% were males. The odds ratios (OR) (95% confidence intervals in parenthesis) for dyspnoea, cough and phlegm regarding previous exposure compared with no previous exposure were 1.4 (1.1-1.7), 1.4 (1.2-1.8) and 1.3 (1.0-1.7), respectively. The OR in line operators compared with non-exposed employees was 1.2 (0.9-1.7) for dyspnoea, 1.3 (1.0-1.8) for cough and 1.9 (1.4-2.7) for phlegm. The OR for respiratory symptoms was higher in relation to previous exposure than current job function except for phlegm. CONCLUSION: In Norwegian smelters respiratory symptoms appear to be positively related to both current job function and previous exposure. Previous exposure appears to be more important than current job function.
OBJECTIVES: To develop a qualitative exposure classification of employees in Norwegian smelters and to investigate the relationship between respiratory symptoms and occupational exposure using this classification. METHODS: The 3,924 participants completed a standardised questionnaire including questions of respiratory symptoms, familial asthma, allergy, doctor-diagnosed asthma, smoking habits, previous exposure and occupation. The employees were classified according to their current job function: (1) line operators were employed full time on the production line, (2) non-exposed employees did not work in production, (3) the remaining employees were classified as non-line operators. The association between the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and job category was examined using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 38.6 years (standard deviation 9.2 years), 88.5% were males. The odds ratios (OR) (95% confidence intervals in parenthesis) for dyspnoea, cough and phlegm regarding previous exposure compared with no previous exposure were 1.4 (1.1-1.7), 1.4 (1.2-1.8) and 1.3 (1.0-1.7), respectively. The OR in line operators compared with non-exposed employees was 1.2 (0.9-1.7) for dyspnoea, 1.3 (1.0-1.8) for cough and 1.9 (1.4-2.7) for phlegm. The OR for respiratory symptoms was higher in relation to previous exposure than current job function except for phlegm. CONCLUSION: In Norwegian smelters respiratory symptoms appear to be positively related to both current job function and previous exposure. Previous exposure appears to be more important than current job function.
Authors: L Trupin; G Earnest; M San Pedro; J R Balmes; M D Eisner; E Yelin; P P Katz; P D Blanc Journal: Eur Respir J Date: 2003-09 Impact factor: 16.671
Authors: Øystein Robertsen; Frank Siebler; Martin Eisemann; Marit N Hegseth; Solveig Føreland; Hans-Christian B Vangberg Journal: Front Psychol Date: 2018-08-08
Authors: Ali Karimi; Jouni J K Jaakkola; Behzad Heibati; Maritta S Jaakkola; Taina K Lajunen; Alan Ducatman; Rahmat Veysi Journal: BMC Pulm Med Date: 2022-08-08 Impact factor: 3.320