Costs of occupational asthma and of occupational chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The purpose of this review is to summarize the most recent findings on the costs of occupational asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, illustrating the different approaches for estimates, the results and the social and financial implications.

Many published data in the literature show that occupational asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease represent a relevant proportion of the total prevalence of these diseases. Previous findings demonstrated that occupational asthma has adverse economic and employment consequences for the worker, and a significant cost related to the claims. Recent studies using a standard method have specifically estimated the cost of the proportion of cases of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease attributable to occupational exposure out of the total costs of these diseases, and demonstrated that it is significant. Some recent data indicate a beneficial outcome of occupational asthma and a reduction in the number of the claims from primary and secondary preventive intervention at the workplace.

In conclusion, occupational asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are likely to pay a substantial contribution to the total costs of the two disorders. These costs are expected to rise with the increasing prevalence of the diseases. Intervention strategies for effective control and prevention at the workplace should lessen the burden of long-term illness and impact on public health costs.