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Objective: The aim of this study was to examine tobacco use among working adults at least 18 years of age. Methods: The 2012 to 2014 National Health Interview Survey (n = 105,779) was used to estimate prevalences for cigarette smoking, other combustible tobacco use, and smokeless tobacco use and prevalence odds ratios (PORs) for any tobacco product use among working adults at least 18 years of age, by industry and occupation. Results: Of the estimated 144 million currently employed adults, 17% were cigarette smokers, 7.0% other noncigarette combustible tobacco users, and 3.4% smokeless tobacco users. Odds of using tobacco varied by sociodemographic characteristics and by industry and occupations. Conclusions: Disparities in tobacco use exist among working adults. Continued implementation of proven interventions to prevent and reduce all forms of tobacco use among U.S. workers is warranted, particularly among those workers with a higher burden of use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to estimate current smoking among workers in the health care and social assistance sector. Methods: We analyzed the 2008 to 2012 National Health Interview Survey data for adults (age 18 years or more) working in health care and social assistance sector who reported current cigarette smoking. Results: Of the approximately 18.9 million health care and social assistance workers, 16.0% were current cigarette smokers. Smoking prevalence was highest in women (16.9%) and among workers: age 25 to 44 years (17.7%); with a high school education or less (24.4%); with income less than $35,000 (19.5%); with no health insurance (28.5%); in the nursing and residential care facilities (26.9%) industry; and in the material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing (34.7%) occupations. Conclusions: These findings suggest that specific group of workers in the health care and social assistance sector might particularly benefit from cessation programs and incentives to quit smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among nonsmokers by occupation in the United States. Methods: The 1997 to 2004 National Health Interview Survey data for working adults aged 25 years or more were used to estimate the COPD prevalence and to examine change in COPD prevalence between 1997 to 2000 and 2001 to 2004 by occupational groups. Results: During 1997 to 2004, COPD prevalence was 2.8%. The COPD prevalence was highest in financial records processing (4.6%) occupations. There was a slight increase in COPD prevalence during the two survey periods from 2.8% during 1997 (o 2000 compared with 2.9% during 2001 to 2004. Conclusions: No significant changes in the COPD prevalence between the two periods were found. Nevertheless, the elevated COPD prevalence in certain occupational groups suggests that other risk factors play a role in developing COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the result of the study conducted to estimate prevalence of lifetime asthma and current asthma attacks of working adults in the U.S. The study includes an analysis of the data fro the 1997-2004 National Health Interview Survey for currently working adults aged 18 years and over. Result shows that the lifetime asthma prevalence was 9.2 percent while noting the highest asthma prevalence were from the membership organizations industry and the health service occupation.

The article cites a study that aims to provide information on medical evaluation procedures for respirator utilization in private sector establishments in the U.S. The researchers gathered data on respirator utilization and practices through a survey in 2001. Of the facilities where respirators were needed, 46% did not assess employees' medical fitness. Evaluations for fitness rose with establishment size, ranging from 35% in small establishments to 95% in larger ones. According to the authors, the results suggest that roughly half of all private sector facilities failed to comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements for medical fitness evaluations.

Objective: To assess health care utilization, lost work days, and bed days among workers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by industry and occupation., Methods: The 2014 to 2018 National Health Interview Survey data were analyzed., Results: Among workers with COPD the highest odds of reporting an emergency room (ER) visit and lost work days were observed among workers aged ≥65 years, females, those with no health insurance, and current combustible tobacco users. Workers with COPD in the information industry and computer and mathematical occupation reported highest odds of an ER visit and utilities industry workers reported highest odds for lost work days., Conclusions: The high health care utilization and lost work days among workers with COPD in certain industries and occupations underscores the importance of continued surveillance and tailored interventions to reduce disease burden and improve worker health., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)