Background: Professional and domestic cleaning has been associated with new onset and work-exacerbated asthma and rhinitis. Cleaners are exposed to multiple cleaning agents. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and determinants of asthma and rhinitis in 234 subjects working in an Italian cleaning company based in Terni. Method: In this cross-sectional study a cohort of 234 cleaning company workers (126 cleaners and 108 non-exposed controls), completed the Italian version of the ECRHS I and ECRHS II occupational modules to assess exposure to cleaning agents and prevalence of asthma and rhinitis. They also performed lung function tests. Statistical differences in continuous variables were tested by the two-tailed paired t test. Differences in proportions were tested by the V2 or Fisher’s exact test, when appropriate. Differences were considered significant at P < 0.05. The influence of cleaning tasks or products, schooling, sex, age and smoking status (predictors) on asthma or rhinitis (dependent variables) was analyzed by logistic regression. Result: The 234 subjects had a mean age of 44 years; cleaners were 4 years older than controls. 79% were female and 43% were current smokers. Median schooling was 17 years (range 10–24). 54% of the cohort worked as cleaners in public buildings, hospitals and schools, and 46% were white-collar workers and drivers who were not exposed to cleaning products (controls). The prevalence of current asthma was 6% in cleaners and 1% in controls. Prevalence of rhinitis was 17% and 15%, respectively. Using glass cleaning sprays at work ‡1 day/week was associated with current asthma (OR = 19.0, CI 2.1–159.9). Cleaners <39 years old had a greater risk of asthma (OR = 5.0, CI 1.2–21.7) than older co-workers, after adjusting for other predictors. Conclusion: We confirm that exposure to cleaning products is associated with asthma. Use of glass cleaning sprays is an important determinant. The healthy worker effect could account for the higher risk of asthma that we found in younger cleaners. Moreover, there is evidence that the incidence of work-related symptoms is higher in the first 2–3 years after starting exposure and tends to decrease thereafter
Prevalence and determinants of asthma and rhinitis in an Italian cleaning company from Terni, Italy
Murgia N;
2011
Abstract
Background: Professional and domestic cleaning has been associated with new onset and work-exacerbated asthma and rhinitis. Cleaners are exposed to multiple cleaning agents. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and determinants of asthma and rhinitis in 234 subjects working in an Italian cleaning company based in Terni. Method: In this cross-sectional study a cohort of 234 cleaning company workers (126 cleaners and 108 non-exposed controls), completed the Italian version of the ECRHS I and ECRHS II occupational modules to assess exposure to cleaning agents and prevalence of asthma and rhinitis. They also performed lung function tests. Statistical differences in continuous variables were tested by the two-tailed paired t test. Differences in proportions were tested by the V2 or Fisher’s exact test, when appropriate. Differences were considered significant at P < 0.05. The influence of cleaning tasks or products, schooling, sex, age and smoking status (predictors) on asthma or rhinitis (dependent variables) was analyzed by logistic regression. Result: The 234 subjects had a mean age of 44 years; cleaners were 4 years older than controls. 79% were female and 43% were current smokers. Median schooling was 17 years (range 10–24). 54% of the cohort worked as cleaners in public buildings, hospitals and schools, and 46% were white-collar workers and drivers who were not exposed to cleaning products (controls). The prevalence of current asthma was 6% in cleaners and 1% in controls. Prevalence of rhinitis was 17% and 15%, respectively. Using glass cleaning sprays at work ‡1 day/week was associated with current asthma (OR = 19.0, CI 2.1–159.9). Cleaners <39 years old had a greater risk of asthma (OR = 5.0, CI 1.2–21.7) than older co-workers, after adjusting for other predictors. Conclusion: We confirm that exposure to cleaning products is associated with asthma. Use of glass cleaning sprays is an important determinant. The healthy worker effect could account for the higher risk of asthma that we found in younger cleaners. Moreover, there is evidence that the incidence of work-related symptoms is higher in the first 2–3 years after starting exposure and tends to decrease thereafterI documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
