Association of Occupational Exposures and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Morbidity

J Occup Environ Med. 2023 Jul 1;65(7):e443-e452. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002850. Epub 2023 Mar 24.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study is to determine whether aggregate measures of occupational exposures are associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) outcomes in the Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcome Measures in COPD study cohort.

Methods: Individuals were assigned to six predetermined exposure hazard categories based on self-reported employment history. Multivariable regression, adjusted for age, sex, race, current smoking status, and smoking pack-years determined the association of such exposures to odds of COPD and morbidity measures. We compared these with the results of a single summary question regarding occupational exposure.

Results: A total of 2772 individuals were included. Some exposure estimates, including "gases and vapors" and "dust and fumes" exposures resulted in associations with effect estimates over two times the estimated effect size when compared with a single summary question.

Conclusions: Use of occupational hazard categories can identify important associations with COPD morbidity while use of single-point measures may underestimate important differences in health risks.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Dust
  • Gases
  • Humans
  • Morbidity
  • Occupational Diseases* / epidemiology
  • Occupational Diseases* / etiology
  • Occupational Exposure* / adverse effects
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / epidemiology
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive* / etiology
  • Risk Factors
  • Smoking / epidemiology

Substances

  • Gases
  • Dust