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Social consequences and quality of life in work-related asthma

  • Chapter
Occupational Asthma

Part of the book series: Progress in Inflammation Research ((PIR))

Abstract

Work-related asthma can interfere with patient’s daily life, including professional, familial, and social activities. Occupational asthma (OA) is associated with a high rate of prolonged work disruption and loss of income. Available information indicates that work-exacerbated asthma has a negative socio-economic impact to the same extent as OA. The socio-economic outcome seems to be predominantly influenced by professional and socio-demographic factors. Adverse professional and economic consequences are more pronounced when workers have to leave their workplace because of reduced possibilities for accommodation in unexposed jobs within the same company or lack of effective retraining programs. The socio-economic outcome is also affected by the age and the level of education of affected workers. There is growing evidence that work-related asthma is associated with a lower quality of life than asthma unrelated to work.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de Pneumologie, Cliniques de Mont-Godinne, Université Catholique de Louvain, B-5530, Yvoir, Belgium

    Olivier Vandenplas & Vinciane D’Alpaos

Authors
  1. Olivier Vandenplas
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  2. Vinciane D’Alpaos
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Health Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Aarhus University, Bartholin Allé 2, 8000, Århus C, Denmark

    Torben Sigsgaard

  2. Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences Division of Environmental and Occupational Health, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3508 TD, Utrecht, Netherlands

    Dick Heederik

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© 2010 Birkhäuser / Springer Basel

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Vandenplas, O., D’Alpaos, V. (2010). Social consequences and quality of life in work-related asthma. In: Sigsgaard, T., Heederik, D. (eds) Occupational Asthma. Progress in Inflammation Research. Birkhäuser Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7643-8556-9_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7643-8556-9_15

  • Publisher Name: Birkhäuser Basel

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-7643-8555-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-7643-8556-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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