Introduction:
Work-related asthma (WRA) comprises occupational asthma (OA), where
asthma is caused by exposures at work, and work-exacerbated asthma
(WEA), where a pre-existing asthma is worsened by exposures at work.
WRA has implications in mental health, quality of life (QoL), and work
limitations, but there has been a dearth of research exploring these
domains among OA and WEA subgroups.
Objective:
We explored psychological, QoL, and work-limitation outcomes among OA
and WEA subgroups.
Methods:
Subjects were recruited from 2 Toronto hospitals. Demographic
characteristics were collected by chart review. Beck anxiety and
depression (II) inventories, Marks' Asthma Quality of Life
Questionnaire, and Work Limitations Questionnaire were used to measure
domains. SPSS was used to analyze the data.
Results:
Seventy-seven subjects participated at a mean of
9.315.4(SD) years after diagnosis, including 50 (64.9%)
with OA and 27 (35.1%) with WEA. Sixty-two percent were male. Mean age
of OA and WEA subjects were 58.79.5 and
53.211.1, respectively. WEA subjects had a trend toward
higher levels of anxiety (OAM(MEAN)=9.28.0,WEAM=12.88.3,P=0.07),
and depression (OAM=9.610.3,WEAM=13.413.5,P=0.2).
QoL (OAM=1.10.84,WEAM=1.00.89,
P=0.81) and work-limitation (for those working) (N=50,OAM=25.127.3,WEAM=20.624.4,P=0.56)
outcomes were comparable among OA and WEA subjects.
Discussion:
Our study suggests that those with WEA have higher levels of anxiety
and depression compared to OA subjects, with depression scores of WEA
subjects falling within the range of clinical significance (mild
depression). QoL and work-limitation outcomes were similar among
subgroups.
http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/48/suppl_60/PA1156
