ABSTRACT
Exacerbation of asthma can result from exposures at home, at work, in the outdoor environment, and in public buildings. There is general agreement in clinical practice that troublesome home environmental exposures should be avoided; physicians often advise asthma patients to rid their homes of carpets, drapes, and other furnishings that might be repositories for allergens. Asthma-related exposures in the work environment are less frequently addressed, because exposures are often beyond the control of the individual patient and an employer may or may not accept their responsibility or have the ability to control exposures. The issue of an affected employee’s right to workplace accommodation or compensation further clouds the issue.
