Occupational exposures and asthma in domestic cleaning women

Medina Ramón, Mercedes

Occupational exposures and asthma in domestic cleaning women

Document Type

Doctoral thesis
Published Version

Author

Medina Ramón, Mercedes

Director

Antó i Boqué, Josep Maria
Zock, Jan-Paul

Publication Date

2005-03-10

Citation

Medina Ramón, M. Occupational exposures and asthma in domestic cleaning women. Universitat Pompeu Fabra; 2005. handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10803/7090

This citation was generated automatically.

Doctoral program

Programa de doctorat en Biomedicina

Abstract

El objetivo del estudio era identificar las exposiciones ocupacionales relacionadas con asma en empleadas de limpieza doméstica. Un estudio poblacional transversal realizado en 4,521 mujeres mostró que las empleadas del hogar tenían un mayor riesgo de asma y bronquitis crónica que las mujeres que nunca habían trabajado en limpieza. Posteriormente, se realizo un estudio caso-control en empleadas del hogar que incluia 40 casos de asma y/o bronquitis crónica y 155 controles. Los casos estaban expuestos más frecuentemente a lejía y a fregar los platos y habían sufrido más accidentes de inhalación con productos de limpieza. Finalmente, en un estudio de panel en 43 empleadas del hogar con problemas respiratorios, se observó empeoramiento de los síntomas de las vías respiratorias inferiores los días de trabajo y los días expuestos a lejía, desengrasantes y/o ambientadores. Se concluye que las empleadas del hogar tienen un aumento en el riesgo de asma y posiblemente bronquitis crónica y que dicho riesgo está relacionado principalmente con exposiciones irritantes.
We aimed to investigate the relationship between occupational exposures and asthma in women employed in domestic cleaning. A population-based cross-sectional study among 4,521 women showed that domestic cleaners had an increased risk of asthma and chronic bronchitis symptoms as compared with those never employed in cleaning. Subsequently, a case-control study among domestic cleaning women was conducted including 40 cases of asthma and/or chronic bronchitis and 155 controls. Cases were more frequently exposed to bleach and washing dishes and had experienced more inhalation accidents involving cleaning products than controls. Finally, a panel study among 43 domestic cleaning women with respiratory symptoms showed aggravation of lower respiratory symptoms on working days and on days with exposure to bleach, degreasers and/or air-fresheners. In conclusion, women employed in domestic cleaning are at an increased risk of asthma and possibly chronic bronchitis, this risk being predominantly related to irritant exposures.

Keywords

irritants, occupational, cleaning, chronic bronchitis, asthma, epidemiology, irritantes, ocupacional, limpieza, bronquitis crónica, asma, epidemiología