Data linkage to estimate the extent and distribution of occupational disease: new onset adult asthma in Alberta, Canada
✍ Scribed by Nicola Cherry; Jeremy Beach; Igor Burstyn; Xiangning Fan; Na Guo; Nitin Kapur
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2009
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 148 KB
- Volume
- 52
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0271-3586
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Abstract
Background
Although occupational asthma is a well recognized and preventable disease, the numbers of cases presenting for compensation may be far lower than the true incidence.
Methods
Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) claims for any reason 1995–2004 were linked to physician billing data. New onset adult asthma (NOAA) was defined as a billing for asthma (ICD‐9 code of 493) in the 12 months prior to a WCB claim without asthma in the previous 3 years. Incidence was calculated by occupation, industry and, in a case–referent analysis, exposures estimated from an asthma specific job exposure matrix.
Results
There were 782,908 WCB eligible claims, with an incidence rate for NOAA of 1.6%: 23 occupations and 21 industries had a significantly increased risk. Isocyanates (OR 1.54: 95% CI 1.01–2.36) and exposure to mixed agricultural allergens (OR = 1.59: 95% CI 1.17–2.18) were related to NOAA overall, as were exposures to cleaning chemicals in men (OR = 1.91:95% CI 1.34–2.73). Estimates of the number of cases of occupational asthma suggested a range of 4% to about half for the proportion compensated.
Conclusions
Data linkage of administrative records can demonstrate under‐reporting of occupational asthma and indicate areas for prevention. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:831–840, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.