QuickStats: Percentage of Employed Adults* Aged 18–64 Years with Current Asthma,† Skin Condition,§ or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome¶ Who Were Told Their Condition Was Work-Related,** by Sex — National Health Interview Survey, 2010††

Weekly
December 23, 2011 / 60(50);1712

The figure shows the percentage of employed adults aged 18-64 years with current asthma, skin condition, or carpal tunnel syndrome, who were told their condition was work-related, by sex during 2010, according to the National Health Interview Survey. In 2010, among employed adults aged 18-64 years who currently had asthma, 6.7% had been told their current asthma was work-related. Among employed adults who had a skin condition, 5.8% had been told their skin condition was work-related. Among employed adults who had carpal tunnel syndrome, 69.4% had been told their carpal tunnel syndrome was work-related. Men (61.1%) were less likely than women (73.2%) to have been told their carpal tunnel syndrome was work-related. No significant differences by sex for either work-related current asthma or skin conditions were observed.

* Employed adults are persons who had worked at a job or business any time in the 12 months before the interview (either full-time or part-time).

† Adults were defined as having current asthma if they answered "yes" to the following two questions: "Have you ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that you had asthma?" "Do you still have asthma?"

§ Adults were defined as having a skin condition if they answered "yes" to the following question: "During the past 12 months, have you had dermatitis, eczema, or any other red, inflamed skin rash?"

¶ Adults were defined as having carpal tunnel syndrome if they answered "yes" to the following two questions: "Have you ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that you have a condition affecting the wrist and hand called carpal tunnel syndrome?" and "During the past 12 months, have you had carpal tunnel syndrome?"

** Asthma was considered work-related if a doctor or other health professional had told the adult that it "was probably caused by your work," "was probably made worse by your work," or "was ever made worse by any job you have ever had." Skin condition and carpal tunnel syndrome were considered work-related if a doctor or other health professional had told the adult that the condition "was probably work-related."

†† Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalized U.S. population and are derived from the National Health Interview Survey sample adult component. Asthma, skin condition, and carpal tunnel syndrome were the only three conditions for which participants were asked if a doctor or health professional had told them the condition was probably work-related.

§§ 95% confidence interval.

In 2010, among employed adults aged 18–64 years who currently had asthma, 6.7% had been told their current asthma was work-related. Among employed adults who had a skin condition, 5.8% had been told their skin condition was work-related. Among employed adults who had carpal tunnel syndrome, 69.4% had been told their carpal tunnel syndrome was work-related. Men (61.1%) were less likely than women (73.2%) to have been told their carpal tunnel syndrome was work-related. No significant differences by sex for either work-related current asthma or skin conditions were observed.

Source: National Health Interview Survey, 2010 data. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm.

Alternate Text: The figure above shows the percentage of employed adults aged 18-64 years with current asthma, skin condition, or carpal tunnel syndrome, who were told their condition was work-related, by sex during 2010, according to the National Health Interview Survey. In 2010, among employed adults aged 18-64 years who currently had asthma, 6.7% had been told their current asthma was work-related. Among employed adults who had a skin condition, 5.8% had been told their skin condition was work-related. Among employed adults who had carpal tunnel syndrome, 69.4% had been told their carpal tunnel syndrome was work-related. Men (61.1%) were less likely than women (73.2%) to have been told their carpal tunnel syndrome was work-related. No significant differences by sex for either work-related current asthma or skin conditions were observed.