Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Work environments are potential areas for spreading respiratory infections. <b>Objective:</b> To compare the occurrence of respiratory infections among different occupations among adults with newly diagnosed asthma. <b>Methods:</b> We analysed a population-based study sample of 521 working-age adults with newly diagnosed asthma who were living in the Pirkanmaa Hospital District in Southern Finland. The determinant of interest was occupation at the time of diagnosis of asthma. We assessed potential relations between occupation and the occurrence of upper respiratory infections, including common cold, sinusitis, and otitis media, and lower respiratory tract infections, including acute bronchitis and pneumonia during the past 12 months. The measures of effect were incidence rates ratio (IRR) and risk ratio (RR) adjusted for age, sex, and smoking habits in Poisson regression models with log links. Professionals, clerks, and administrative personnel constituted the reference group. <b>Results:</b> The mean IR for common cold was 1.85. The following occupational groups showed increased risk of common cold: forestry and related workers (aIRR 2.21, 95% CI 1.15-4.24), construction and mining (aIRR 1.66, 95% CI 1.14-2.44) and metal workers (aIRR 1.37, 95% CI 0.99-1.91). The risk of lower respiratory tract infections was increased in the following groups: glass, ceramic, and mineral workers (aRR 3.83, 95% CI 2.54-5.77), fur and leather workers (aRR 2.12, 95% CI 1.05-4.29), and metal workers (aRR 1.82, 95% CI 1.05-3.14). <b>Conclusions:</b> Our results suggest that the occurrence of respiratory infections is related to the occupation.

Highlights

  • Work environments are potential areas for spreading respiratory infections

  • The following occupational groups showed increased risk of common colds: forestry and related workers and construction and mining

  • The risk of lower respiratory tract infections was increased in the following groups: glass, ceramic, and mineral workers, fur and leather workers and metal workers

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Summary

Introduction

Work environments are potential areas for spreading respiratory infections. We hypothesized that certain occupations increase susceptibility to respiratory infections among adults with asthma. The current Covid-19 pandemic raised our interest in studying if we can identify occupations that are related to increased risk of having acute respiratory infections. Such information would be useful for guiding preventive actions to control spreading of respiratory infections at work. The objective of the present study was to compare the occurrence of respiratory infections among different occupations in working-age adults with newly diagnosed asthma. Those with asthma are likely to form a group especially susceptible to respiratory infections.[4] Professionals, clerks, and administrative personnel formed the reference category in this study

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