Are operating room nurses at higher risk of severe persistent asthma? The Nurses' Health Study

J Occup Environ Med. 2013 Aug;55(8):973-7. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0b013e318297325b.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the associations between operating room (OR) nursing, a category of health care workers at high risk of exposure to various inhaled agents, and asthma severity/control among women with asthma.

Methods: The level of severity/control in nurses with prevalent doctor-diagnosed asthma in 1998/2000 was compared, using nominal logistic regression, in OR nursing (n = 69) and administrative nursing (n = 546) from the US Nurses' Health Study for whom detailed information on asthma and nursing employment status was available.

Results: We observed a significant association between OR nursing, compared with administrative nursing, and severe persistent asthma (adjusted odds ratio, 2.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.06 to 5.77).

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that nurses working in the OR are at a higher risk of severe persistent asthma. Further studies with detailed estimates of occupational exposures, especially to disinfectant/cleaning agents, are warranted.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Asthma / epidemiology
  • Asthma / etiology*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Inhalation Exposure / adverse effects
  • Middle Aged
  • Nurse Administrators / statistics & numerical data
  • Occupational Diseases / epidemiology
  • Occupational Diseases / etiology*
  • Occupational Exposure / adverse effects
  • Operating Room Nursing / statistics & numerical data*
  • Operating Rooms / statistics & numerical data
  • Risk Factors