ABSTRACT
Occupational asthma is now the most common work-related respiratory disorder in the majority of industrialized countries, surpassing conditions such as silicosis, asbestosis, and occupational lung cancer (1±6). Estimates of the proportion of cases of adult-onset asthma due to occupational exposure range from 2 to 15% (7±10). More than 300 agents have been identified as potential causes of occupational asthma and the list continues to expand (11±14). There have been few case reports of actual fatalities related to occupational asthma (15±17); nonetheless, morbidity associated with occupational asthma can be quite substantial, with many affected individuals being required to change jobs and/or seek workers' compensation. Many workers with occupational asthma are unable to find employment with wages comparable to those of their previous job. Individuals with severe occupational asthma often do not return to gainful employment in any capacity and require long-term disability. Such outcomes point to the substantial socioeconomic consequences of occupational asthma.
