State-Based Surveillance for Work-Related Asthma
The following states were funded by NIOSH during the 2021–2026 State-Based Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance Program funding cycle for case-based work-related asthma (WRA) surveillance:
The ascertainment source for work-related asthma cases varies by state. Massachusetts, Michigan, California, and Washington all ascertain work-related asthma cases from workers’ compensation data. Washington identifies cases solely through their state Workers’ Compensation system; employers in Washington are required to obtain State Fund insurance unless they are able to self-insure. Other data sources used to identify cases include reports from healthcare professionals, hospital discharge data, emergency room data, as well as Poison Control data in Michigan.
State surveillance staff collect demographic, work-history, and medical information for case confirmation, classification, and description through a combination of data sources, review of medical records, and when possible, a follow-up interview with reported cases.
Surveillance Guidelines for State Health Departments
Recommended guidelines for identifying and reporting actual or suspected cases of work-related asthma can be found on the WRA State Reporting Guidelines page
Asthmagens
Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC) Exposure Codes
An exposure coding scheme which includes agents classified as “known asthma inducers” and is maintained by the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC). The scheme facilitates consistency in agent coding across states and putative causes of WRA for each case are coded using this scheme.
Haz-Map
An occupational toxicology database (of chemicals, jobs, and diseases) designed to link jobs to hazardous job tasks which are linked to occupational diseases and their symptoms.
NIOSHTIC-2 Searches
NIOSHTIC-2 is a searchable bibliographic database of occupational safety and health publications, documents, grant reports and journal articles supported in whole or in part by NIOSH.
Search results for WRA – Search Terms: work-related asthma OR occupational asthma OR exacerbated asthma OR aggravated asthma OR irritant-induced asthma.
Selected Resources and References
British Occupational Health Research Foundation (BOHRF)
A collection of reports that include evidence-based review and guidelines for identifying, managing, and preventing occupational asthma.
Clinical Evaluation, Management, and Prevention of Work-Related Asthma
Am J Ind Med 2000 Jan;37(1):121-41.
A practical stepwise organization of the diagnostic evaluation of work-related asthma. It is used by primary care physicians and physicians specializing in occupational diseases and asthma (2000).
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), Occupational Health Indicators
Occupational health indicator data from states and, where available, the United States from 2000 through 2016. One indicator relates to work-related asthma, Indicator #21: Asthma Among Adults Caused or Made Worse by Work.
Work-Related Lung Disease Surveillance System (eWoRLD), Work-Related Asthma: State-Based Surveillance
Work-Related Lung Disease Surveillance System (eWoRLD) provides state-based surveillance data for work-related asthma from participating states.