Asthma in Health Care Workers

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of current asthma and the proportion of asthma that is work-related among health care and non-health care workers. METHODS: We used 2008 and 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System High Risk/Health Care Worker Module and Asthma Call-Back Survey data collected in 35 states and the District of Columbia to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs). RESULTS: Significantly more health care workers/volunteers than non-health care workers/volunteers with current asthma had asthma attacks (PR = 1.23; 95% confidence interval = 1.03 to 1.46) and asthma symptoms within the past year (PR = 1.07; 95% confidence interval = 1.00 to 1.14). There was no significant difference in the proportion of health care and non-health care workers/volunteers diagnosed with current asthma or work-related asthma. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study are consistent with previous research showing that health care workers with asthma have higher proportions of asthma attacks than non-health care workers.