Epidemiology of Occupational Asthma in Tunisia: Results of a First National Study

Autor:	Abbassi Ammar, Maoua Maher, Ben Khdimallah Khaled, Loukil Mouna, Benzarti Mohamed, Chatti Souhail, Mlaouah Jabrane, Masmoudi Tasnim, Mrizak Néjib, El Maalel Olfa, Haj Salah Habib, Kalboussi Houda, Debbabi Faten, Brahem Aicha, Boughattas Wided, Kammoun Houda, Gharbi Ezzeddine
Rok vydání:	2016
Předmět:	Pediatrics medicine.medical_specialty business.industry Incidence (epidemiology) Social impact medicine.disease Environmental health Epidemiology Etiology medicine National study Population study business Developed country Occupational asthma
Zdroj:	Occupational Diseases and Environmental Medicine. :27-36
ISSN:	2333-357X 2333-3561
Popis:	Introduction: Apart from its increasingly important frequency, occupational asthma (OA) has become the most important cause of occupational respiratory disorders in developed countries. The number of etiological agents continues to grow following the constant introduction of new harmful substances in industry. Objectives: Determine the prevalence and incidence of OA in our country, the socio-occupational characteristics of asthmatics, and study the forensic and social impact of such pathology. Material and Methods: An exhaustive retrospective epidemiological study was conducted in Tunisia about charts of occupational asthma cases recognized by the competent commissions of the National Medical Care Fund (CNAM) during the period ranging from January 1st 2000 to December 31st 2008. Results: 361 occupational asthma cases, accounting for a prevalence of 7.17% of all occupational diseases, were recognized during the period of the study. Occupational asthma annual incidence was estimated to be 24.42 cases per 1000000 workers. Our study population was mainly women with a sex ratio of 0.86. More than a half (57.6%) of recognized OA cases were working in the textile industry sector. Concerning the asthmatics’ professional career, most of recognized OA cases (n = 225 i.e. 70.6% of cases) kept their jobs, whereas 58 patients did not. The professional career was linked to gender with a job loss that is 1.79 time more important in asthmatic women. Conclusion: The incidence of occupational asthma in Tunisia is comparable with that found in other Mediterranean countries. A rigorous and adequate prevention is necessary and allows reducing the importance of this occupational pathology and its serious consequences.
Databáze:	OpenAIRE
Externí odkaz:	https://explore.openaire.eu/search/publication?articleId=doi_________::7019a358c88fcec1e876bade942c79f1 https://doi.org/10.4236/odem.2016.42004 Zobrazit plný text záznamu