Influence of childhood asthma and allergies on occupational exposure in early adulthood: A prospective cohort study

Abstract

We aimed to determine whether history of asthma/allergies in childhood was associated with avoidance of jobs with exposure to asthmagens in early adulthood. The Melbourne Atopic Cohort Study recruited 620 children at high risk of allergic diseases at birth (1990–1994). Asthma, hay fever and eczema were evaluated by questionnaires during childhood. A follow-up in early adulthood (mean age: 18 years) collected information on the current job. Occupational exposure to asthmagens/irritants was evaluated using a job-exposure matrix. The association between history of asthma/allergies in childhood and working in a job with exposure to asthmagens/irritants was evaluated by logistic regression, adjus..