Using social media to highlight inhaled occupational exposures as a cause of lung disease

The risks to lung health from workplace hazards remain incompletely understood and may still be overlooked by workers, employers and healthcare professionals. We used an online tool to collect European population-based data relating to workplace exposures, training and lung health.

A targeted industry-specific digital tool, enquiring about the link between respiratory symptoms and work, was made accessible online over a 24-month period.

22 393 individuals (mean age 43.6 years) responded; 55.7% were female, 46.7% completed in English, 19.9% in Portuguese, 17.8% in French, 10.5% in Dutch and 5% in German. 47% reported nasal symptoms, 42% cough, 21% chest tightness and 20% wheeze. 8412 (37.6%) reported at least one work-related symptom. The use of workplace training (11%) and guidance (17%) to prevent respiratory ill health was uncommon. 980 (5.9%) had changed their job because it had affected their breathing. Increasing age (OR 1.02 per year age increase), completion language (English (OR 0.66), French (OR 0.39)), workplace (bakery (OR 1.64), mine (OR 1.91), sports centre (OR 3.03) and farm (OR 1.77)) and workplace training (OR 0.71) were significantly associated with this outcome. These workers also had more work-related symptoms (p<0.001) and complained of more wheeze (p<0.001) and nasal symptoms (p<0.001). 919 (5.6%) workers with a more likely diagnosis of occupational asthma were more female, had less workplace guidance and training and had co-workers with health complaints.

This tool has reached real-world working populations and these findings identify the need for further awareness raising, education and social media interventions.