Occupational Allergy and Asthma Among Laboratory Animal Workers: The Role of Respiratory Protection

Occupational asthma;Occupational allergy;Laboratory Animal Allergy;Laboratory Animal Workers;Sensitization;Mus m 1;Occupational health;Public Health Studies

Kasameyer, ElizabethMatsui, Elizabeth C. ;

Johns Hopkins University

关键词: Occupational asthma;    Occupational allergy;    Laboratory Animal Allergy;    Laboratory Animal Workers;    Sensitization;    Mus m 1;    Occupational health;    Public Health Studies;   

Others  :  https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/bitstream/handle/1774.2/37130/KASAMEYER-DISSERTATION-2014.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

瑞士|英语

来源: JOHNS HOPKINS DSpace Repository

【 摘 要 】

ABSTRACTProblem: Workers exposed to laboratory animal allergens develop laboratory animal allergies (LAA) (sensitization accompanied by allergic symptoms) which often progresses to occupational asthma (OA).Although public health agencies endorse using disposable particulate respirators (DPRs) as a means of primary prevention of LAA and OA, we have a poor understanding of the factors associated with their use. In addition, no research has been published verifying that DPRs are an effective form of primary prevention of the aforementioned health outcomes. Methods: To address these questions, two studies were performed using data obtained from an ongoing prospective occupational cohort study of laboratory animal workers. The first was a cross-sectional study which evaluated the associations between workers’ health beliefs and their use of DPRs.The second study utilized a prospective occupational cohort design and evaluated the association between DPR use and risk for becoming sensitized to mouse allergen or developing respiratory symptoms. Results: We found that only fifty-five percent of participants used DPRs at least some of the time, and that participants’ perceptions of their susceptibility to adverse effects of mouse allergen exposure, self-efficacy for using a DPR, and the perceived barriers to using a DPR were significantly associated with DPR use.In the second study we determined that workers who used DPRs intermittently were more likely to become sensitized and to develop LAA compared to workers who used DPRs consistently or not at all. Conclusions: These findings have implications for the policies that address the use of DPRs as a means of primary prevention of LAA, as well as future research in this field. Specifically, we may need to reconsider the emphasis placed on assuring DPR use as a means of primary prevention.With regard to future research, it will be important to evaluate the effectiveness of health-belief based interventions on DPR use and worker health outcomes, to define the mechanism by which intermittent DPR users are at the highest risk of developing allergic outcomes, and to develop methods of determining those most at risk for developing allergic outcomes as well as new means of primary prevention. DISSERTATION READERS:Jacqueline Agnew, PhD (Advisor)Professor of Environmental Health SciencesJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Elizabeth Matsui, MD, MHS (Chair)Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public HealthPeter Lees, PhDProfessor of Environmental Health SciencesJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthMary Fox, PhDAssistant Professor, Health Policy and ManagementJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Madeleine Shea, PhDAdvisory Committee, Women;;s Coalition for Health Care ReformAssociate, Department of Environmental Health SciencesJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health