Abstract

Workplace exposures contribute significantly to the global burden of respiratory disease. Despite the knowledge that occupational lung diseases (OLDs) such as asthma, pneumoconiosis, COPD and cancer are directly attributable to work, the incidence of such conditions remains high and is increasing in some countries. The distribution of OLDs is not equal among populations. Poverty, education, sex/gender and ethnicity all contribute to the risks. Work and employment reflect and reinforce social gradients of health. OLDs can intersect with other social determinants of health, resulting in worse outcomes for those affected. Workplaces present a unique sphere in which to intervene to improve health outcomes.

Cite as: Wiggans RE. Work and respiratory health: lessons from occupational lung disease. In: Sinha IP, Lee A, Katikireddi SV, et al., eds. Inequalities in Respiratory Health (ERS Monograph). Sheffield, European Respiratory Society, 2023; pp. 89–98 [https://doi.org/10.1183/2312508X.10004022].