Association of occupational exposures and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease morbidity.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether aggregate measures of occupational exposures are associated with COPD outcomes in the SubPopulations and InteRmediate Outcome Measures In COPD Study cohort.

METHODS: Individuals were assigned to six predetermined exposure hazard categories based on self-reported employment history. Multivariable regression, adjusted for age, gender, race, current smoking status, and smoking pack-years determined the association of such exposures to odds of COPD and morbidity measures. We compared these to the results of a single summary question regarding occupational exposure.

RESULTS: 2772 individuals were included. Some exposure estimates, including 'gases and vapors' and 'dust and fumes' exposures resulted in associations with effect estimates over two times the estimated effect size when compared to a single summary question.

CONCLUSIONS: Use of occupational hazard categories can identify important associations with COPD morbidity while use of single point measures may underestimate important differences in health risks.