Year: 2013
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Asthma is a significant and increasing health problem among the working aged population and is associated with decreased work ability. The aim was to study the asthma prognosis and the work ability of men with asthma since youth as well as the risk factors for poor asthma outcome and decreased work ability. The current goal to extend careers makes this study highly relevant. We used the Finnish Defence Force registers to select the two different study populations. Initially, in 2007 a postal questionnaire was sent to all 216 men with verified asthma from the 2004 2005 Central Military Hospital register. Asthma was significantly less severe at the two-year follow-up than during military service and allergic sensitisation predicted more severe asthma. Study subjects included in our second study population were men currently aged at approximately 40 years old. The Recruits with asthma (n=505) consisted of all asthmatics who were referred to the Central Military Hospital during the period 1987 1990 and who had relatively mild asthma in youth. The Asthmatics exempted from service (n=393) included men who were exempted from military service during the period 1986 1989 due to asthma and had more severe asthma in youth. The Controls (n=1500) had performed their military service without asthma. A postal questionnaire including validated questions about asthma and work ability was sent out approximately twenty years after military service or exemption at call-up. Thereafter, a total of 119 respondents from the recruits with asthma group attended the clinical tests. Approximately half of those men who attended the clinical visit approximately twenty years after their military service had current persistent asthma and a positive exercise test and obstructive spirometry at baseline were associated with asthma persistence. The self-assessed current work ability for recruits with asthma and asthmatics exempted from service was significantly reduced when compared with the controls. In asthmatics exempted from service, being a manual worker or self-employed were also associated significantly with the occurrence of asthma exacerbations during past 12 months. Conclusions: Military aggravated asthma had a good 2-year and 20-year prognosis. Positive exercise test might be a meaningful prognostic measure in asthmatics. Both mild and more severe asthma at the age of around 20 seems to be associated with reduced work ability among middle-aged men. This is socioeconomically meaningful, as 40-year old men are an essential part of workforce. Furthermore, current occupational exposure may be associated with asthma exacerbations among men with relatively severe asthma in youth and taking into account asthma in vocational planning might be necessary in this group of asthmatics. Additionally, health care providers should carefully follow men with asthma that began in youth, support their work ability and pay close attention to their work environment.
Source: Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja
Author: Irmeli Lindström
Language: English
Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1862578915