1 in 6 cases of adult asthma caused by workplace environments

In a new study, the start of asthma in adulthood was clearly linked to 18 types of job, and the strongest evidence seems to be for jobs involving cleaning or cleaning agents.

The researchers base their findings on the job histories up to the age of 42 of almost 7,500 British adults born in 1958, all of whom were taking part in the National Child Development Study, which is tracking the long term health of more than 11,000 people living in Britain.

Information about symptoms of asthma or wheezy bronchitis was collected at the ages of 7, 11, 16, 33 and 42 from 9,500 participants.

After excluding 2,000 who had these symptoms before the age of 16, the remainder were tested for sensitivity to allergens and their lung power between the ages of 42 to 45. Participants were also asked about their work history at the ages of 33 and 42.

Their exposure to compounds known to be associated with asthma was calculated using the Asthma Specific Job Exposure Matrix (ASJEM). This assigns workplace exposure to 18 different high risk antigens, environments, and respiratory irritants.

One in four were smokers by the age of 42, when the cumulative prevalence of asthma that had started in adulthood was 9 per cent. Most (87 per cent) were in employment at age 42, and over half (55 per cent) had office jobs.

Around one in four participants had only ever worked in a job that

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