Science and Research

Association Between Occupational Exposure to Disinfectants and Asthma in Young Adults Working in Cleaning or Health Services: Results From a Cross-Sectional Analysis in Germany

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association of occupational disinfectants use with asthma and wheezing in young professionals. METHODS: Three hundred sixty-five participants from the German Study on Occupational Allergy Risks II aged 20 to 24 years and working in cleaning or health services answered a questionnaire on respiratory health, occupational exposure to disinfectants, and potential confounders. By logistic regression, we calculated the association between duration of occupational disinfectants exposure and doctor-diagnosed asthma, current asthma, and current wheezing. RESULTS: Individuals exposed to disinfectants for more than 12 months had almost three times the odds of doctor-diagnosed asthma compared with those not exposed (odds ratio [OR]: 2.99, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.36-6.55). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide some further evidence for an association between occupational exposure to disinfectants and asthma, indicating that this association can be seen already after the first year of exposure.

  • Weinmann, T.
  • Forster, F.
  • von Mutius, E.
  • Vogelberg, C.
  • Genuneit, J.
  • Windstetter, D.
  • Nowak, D.
  • Radon, K.
  • Gerlich, J.
Publication details
DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001655
Journal: J Occup Environ Med
Pages: 754-759 
Number: 9
Work Type: Original
Location: CPC-M
Disease Area: AA
Partner / Member: HMGU, LMU
Access-Number: 31233007
See publication on PubMed

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