Do hospital workers experience a higher risk of respiratory symptoms and loss of lung function?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hospital work environment contains various biological and chemical exposures that can affect indoor air quality and have impact on respiratory health of the staff. The objective of this study was to investigate potential effects of occupational exposures on the risk of respiratory symptoms and lung function in hospital work, and to evaluate potential interaction between smoking and occupational exposures.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 228 staff members in a hospital and 228 employees of an office building as the reference group in Shiraz, Iran. All subjects completed a standardized ATS respiratory questionnaire and performed a spirometry test.

Results

In Poisson regression, the adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) among the hospital staff were

SUBMITTER: Heibati B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9358815 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature