PREVENTION OF OCCUPATIONAL ASTHMA INCLUDING MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE

The high figures of occupational asthma worldwide necessitate the inte nsification of appropriate primary, secondary and tertiary preventive measures. Based on new scientific data on dose-response relationships as well as our own experience and ethical aspects, we focus on medical surveillance within the framework of secondary prevention. We purpose that medical surveillance programs be mandatory for workplaces/occupa tions with an asthma incidence of greater than or equal to 200% than t hat of the general population. Medical surveillance programs are recom mended if asthma frequency is elevated bur below 200%. A stepwise appr oach of monitoring workers at risk for developing occupational asthma including a screening by questionnaire and a personal interview and di agnosis confirmation is presented. In addition, we briefly comment on the management of affected subjects. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.