BACKGROUND: The addition of industry and occupation information to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) provides a state-level source to assess asthma prevalence by industry and occupation. Identification of asthma that is caused or made worse by exposures in the workplace offers the opportunity for prevention. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the current asthma prevalence among adults by industry and occupation.
METHODS: Data from the 2013 BRFSS collected from 21 states for adults aged ≥18 years were analyzed. Persons with current asthma were those who had ever been told by a health professional that they had asthma and still have asthma. Participants who indicated they were employed for wages, self-employed, or out of work for less than one year were asked additional questions on their industry and occupation. Information on respondent’s industry of employment, coded using the 2002 North American Industrial Classification System, and on occupation, coded using the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification system, was examined.
RESULTS: In 2013, among an estimated 124 million adults from these 21 states, 59.8% were currently employed or out of work for less than one year (range: 55.3% in Florida to 68.9% in Minnesota). Among adults currently employed or out of work for less than one year, 7.7% had current asthma (range: 5.0% in Mississippi to 10.0% in Michigan). Most workers with current asthma were aged 18–44 years (58.6%), female (59.6%), non-Hispanic white (63.7%), and had a household income ≥$50,000 (52.2%).Workers with current asthma were significantly more likely to report an activity limitation, including missing work, than those without current asthma (27.5% vs 17.3%, p<0.0001). Compared with the 94.0% of workers who were employed at the time of the interview, the remaining 6.0% who had been out of work for less than one year were more likely to have current asthma (10.7% vs 7.6%, p=0.0018). Overall, the current asthma prevalence was highest among workers in the healthcare and social assistance industry (10.7%) and in healthcare support occupations (12.4%). By state, the prevalence was highest among workers in the information industry (18.0%; Massachusetts) and in healthcare support occupations (21.5%; Michigan).
CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of current asthma varies in these 21 states and is increased in certain industries and occupations. Factors (e.g., health care access, workplace exposures) associated with elevated current asthma prevalence in certain industries and occupations should be examined.