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Respiratory Work Disability in Relation to Occupational Factors

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Handbook of Disability, Work and Health

Part of the book series: Handbook Series in Occupational Health Sciences ((HDBSOHS,volume 1))

Abstract

Respiratory work disability refers to compromised work ability due to a respiratory tract condition. Respiratory work disability subsumes the adverse effects on working life of occupational (work-caused) lung disease and extends far beyond that. Whatever the etiology of a disease of the respiratory tract, it can interfere with the ability to be employed fully and productively. Respiratory work disability can be manifested in multiple ways. Although traditionally health-related work disability has been quantified by work cessation or work absences (lost workdays) due to the condition in question, a number of other measures can be used to assess respiratory work disability, for example, change of job, change in job hours, and, while still on the job, decreased work productivity. This chapter will present the findings from a range of studies that have analyzed respiratory work disability in multiple respiratory tract conditions, including asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD), rhinitis, cystic fibrosis, and obstructive sleep apnea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Paul D. Blanc

  2. Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Kjell Torén

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  1. Paul D. Blanc
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  2. Kjell Torén
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Correspondence to Paul D. Blanc .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen Department of Health Sciences, Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Ute Bültmann

  2. Medizinische Fakultät, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldo Medizinische Fakultät, Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

    Johannes Siegrist

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Blanc, P.D., Torén, K. (2019). Respiratory Work Disability in Relation to Occupational Factors. In: Bültmann, U., Siegrist, J. (eds) Handbook of Disability, Work and Health. Handbook Series in Occupational Health Sciences, vol 1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75381-2_7-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75381-2_7-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-75381-2

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