Occupational link to asthma to be investigated
With an increasing number of people looking for asthma insurance or critical illness cover, scientists have begun investigating the link between the condition and various jobs.
Funded by charity Asthma UK, the research has taken its cue from the UK’s approximate 3,000 inhabitants who develop asthma as a result of their work every year.
Intended to identify the major occupations and occupational exposures associated with asthma as well as highlight the scale of the problem, the study will be carried out by the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London in collaboration with researchers at St George’s Medical School, University of London.
It is predicted to underline associations between asthma and the work done by those such as bakers and cleaners, who have presented growing evidence of occupational asthma.
"Although many people develop their asthma in childhood we know that some occupations may cause asthma in those who have not had symptoms before," confirmed lead researcher Dr Debbie Jarvis.
The Health & Safety Executive has estimated that between 1,500 and 3,000 people in Great Britain develop occupational asthma each year, while up to a quarter of individuals who are exposed to certain substances at work go on to develop the condition.
The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with asthma
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