Browsing by Author "Eng, Amanda Jane"
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- ItemWorkforce survey of occupational exposures and health effects in New Zealand : a thesis by publications presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Epidemiology at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand(Massey University, 2011) Eng, Amanda JaneThis thesis is based on the first workforce survey in New Zealand to assess occupational exposures and health in a random sample of the working population. The aims of this thesis were to: i) describe the prevalence and distribution of occupational exposures and workplace practices in the New Zealand working population; ii) identify gender and ethnic differences in occupational exposure; and iii) examine which occupational risk factors contribute to the risk of respiratory disease. Over a two year period 10,000 individuals aged 20-64 were randomly selected from the Electoral Roll and invited to take part in a telephone interview. The interview obtained information on lifetime work history, occupational exposures including dust/chemical exposures and certain physical and organisational factors, and selected health effects including respiratory symptoms. A total of 3,003 interviews were completed (37% response rate). Occupational exposure to dust/chemical and certain physical factors were disproportionately experienced by workers in the agricultural, trades, and manufacturing sectors, where prevalences were as high as 75%. However, exposures also occurred in other occupational groups not traditionally associated with hazardous exposures (for example the legislators and managers group). Substantial differences in exposure prevalence were observed between males and females and Maori and non-Maori workers. The occupations positively associated with current and adult-onset asthma included printers, bakers, and sawmill labourers, as well as several occupations that have not been previously associated with asthma (for example teachers and certain sales professionals). Finally, a positive association between work-related stress and asthma was identified. This thesis indicates that the traditional chemical and physical exposures are common in the New Zealand working population, and that emerging factors such as organisational and psychosocial exposures are also prevalent and relevant to occupational health. While the distribution of occupational exposures and risk factors for asthma were concentrated in certain occupational groups, they were also more widely spread across the workforce than previously assumed. Besides occupation, the demographic characteristics of a worker also appeared to determine their occupational exposure. The findings of this thesis illustrate that workforce surveys are a valuable tool for assessing a wide range of exposures in a wide range of workers, and therefore should be carried out on a regular basis.