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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2018 May 23.
Published in final edited form as: Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2017 Sep 5;220(8):1325–1332. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.09.001

Table 3.

Prevalence of Workplace Exposures and Tasks in Current Job a by Current Asthma and Wheeze.

All participants N (%) n = 347 Participants with current asthma N (%) n = 61 Participants with wheeze N (%) n = 123
Sterilize or disinfect medical instruments 18 (5.2) 5 (8.2) 8 (6.5)
Clean or disinfect equipment, environmental, or fixed surfaces 177 (51.0) 38 (62.3) 75 (61.0)
Use chemicals in laboratory or patient/chemical preparation areas 18 (5.2) 2 (3.3) 6 (4.9)
Use chemicals, adhesives, antiseptics, alcohols, or solvents on patients 111 (32.0) 25 (41.0) 54 (43.9)
Administer aerosolized medications to patients 37 (10.7) 10 (16.4) 16 (13.0)
Mold, dampness, construction material exposure (any) 247 (71.2) 49 (80.3) 93 (75.6)
 Water damage 170 (49.0) 33 (54.1) 70 (56.9)
 Condensation 73 (21.0) 16 (26.2) 37 (30.1)
 Wet carpet 74 (21.3) 11 (18.0) 37 (30.1)
 Mold growth 32 (9.2) 7 (11.5) 13 (10.6)
 Mold, mildew, musty odor 74 (21.3) 16 (26.2) 35 (28.5)
 Renovation or construction 189 (54.5) 40 (65.6) 74 (60.2)
 Painting 174 (50.1) 37 (60.7) 65 (52.9)
 Removing/replacing interior materials 147 (42.4) 35 (57.4) 65 (52.9)
Cleaning and disinfecting products (any) 171 (49.3) 37 (60.7) 72 (58.5)
 Alcohol 111 (32.0) 22 (36.1) 47 (38.2)
 Bleach 77 (22.2) 14 (23.0) 38 (30.9)
 Glass cleaner 29 (8.4) 8 (13.1) 16 (13.0)
 Detergent 51 (14.7) 39 (13.6) 26 (21.1)
 Quaternary ammonium compounds 111 (32.0) 19 (31.2) 45 (36.6)
 Other chemicals b 52 (15.0) 6 (9.8) 21 (17.1)
Cleaning or disinfecting tasks (any) 168 (48.4) 36 (59.0) 72 (58.5)
 Clean equipment and environmental surfaces 159 (45.8) 36 (59.0) 69 (56.1)
 Clean spills or blood 93 (26.8) 17 (27.9) 43 (35.0)
 Clean bathroom 16 (4.6) 3 (4.9) 9 (7.3)
 Spraying products 40 (11.5) 7 (11.5) 19 (15.5)
  Floor cleaning and maintenance 40 (11.5) 12 (19.7) 25 (20.3)
 Other tasks 21 (6.1) 4 (6.6) 13 (10.6)
a

Workplace exposures or tasks are reported for current job. Dampness and mold, construction material exposure are reported for the two year period prior to the survey.

b

Other chemicals include formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, acid, ammonia, phenolics, floor wax stripper, ethylene oxide, glutaraldehyde, ortho-phthalaldehydes, peracetic acid, and enzymatic cleaners.