Abstract
BackgroundThis study aims to elucidate factors that among adults with asthma are associated with working full-time.MethodsThis cross-sectional survey of 2613 working-age adults with asthma included questions on asthma history, symptoms and use of asthma medication, socioeconomic factors and health behavior. Full-time workers were compared to groups according to employment status: unemployed, work disability and retired due to age.ResultsAdults with asthma working full time were younger and more often nonmanual workers, experienced less asthma symptoms, used less asthma medication and smoked less than subjects with work disability. After adjusting for age, gender, smoking and professional status, having frequent symptoms of asthma during last month was associated with an increase in the risk of unemployment (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.3–4.2) and with an increase in the risk of work disability (OR 4.4, 95% CI 2.3–8.2).ConclusionsAmong adults with asthma, full-time work was associated with younger age, less symptomatic asthma despite of less medication, nonmanual work and less smoking. Having more severe symptoms of asthma was associated with undesirable employment status such as unemployment or work disability. Possibilities to change from manual to nonmanual work may be important in preventing work disability and early exit from work.
Highlights
This study aims to elucidate factors that among adults with asthma are associated with working full-time
Having frequent asthma symptoms or nightly wake-ups because of asthma is associated with less desirable employment status such as unemployment and work disability, even after adjusting for age, gender, smoking and professional status
Fulltime work was interpreted as an indicator of successful coping in working life while all-cause sickness absence, disability pension applied or granted, unemployment or early retirement were interpreted as less desirable employment status, drifting away from working life, in this study
Summary
This study aims to elucidate factors that among adults with asthma are associated with working full-time. Work disability is associated with working conditions, socioeconomic factors such as lower level education, and health behavior such as smoking [8]. Workplace exposure to dusts or other impurities is associated with work-related respiratory symptoms and disability [9] and among asthmatics, increased respiratory sickness absence [10], work disability [6] and exacerbation of asthma symptoms [11]. Higher educational attainment seems protective whereas a history of smoking associates with a greater risk of work disability [6, 12]
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