Development of a job-task-exposure matrix to assess occupational exposure to disinfectants among US nurses. Issue 2 (26th August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Quinot, C; Dumas, O; Henneberger, PK; Varraso, R; Wiley, AS; Speizer, FE; Goldberg, M; Zock, JP; Camargo, CA; Le Moual, N
• Is Part Of: Occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 74:Issue 2(2017)
• Page Start: 130
• Page End: 137
• Publication Date: 2016-08-26
• Subjects: Job-Exposure Matrix -- Job-Task-Exposure Matrix -- occupational exposure -- nurses -- disinfectants; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; 616.980305
• DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2016-103606
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1351-0711

Abstract

Abstract : Objectives: Occupational exposure to disinfectants is associated with work-related asthma, especially in healthcare workers. However, little is known about the specific products involved. To evaluate disinfectant exposures, we designed job-exposure (JEM) and job-task-exposure (JTEM) matrices, which are thought to be less prone to differential misclassification bias than self-reported exposure. We then compared the three assessment methods: self-reported exposure, JEM and JTEM. Methods: Disinfectant use was assessed by an occupational questionnaire in 9073 US female registered nurses without asthma, aged 49–68 years, drawn from the Nurses' Health Study II. A JEM was created based on self-reported frequency of use (1–3, 4–7 days/week) of 7 disinfectants and sprays in 8 nursing jobs. We then created a JTEM combining jobs and disinfection tasks to further reduce misclassification. Exposure was evaluated in 3 classes (low, medium, high) using product-specific cut-offs (eg, <30%, 30–49.9%, ≥50%, respectively, for alcohol); the cut-offs were defined from the distribution of self-reported exposure per job/task. Results: The most frequently reported disinfectants were alcohol (weekly use: 39%), bleach (22%) and sprays (20%). More nurses were classified as highly exposed by JTEM (alcohol 41%, sprays 41%, bleach 34%) than by JEM (21%, 30%, 26%, respectively). Agreement between JEM and JTEM was fair-to-moderate (κ 0.3–0.5) for most disinfectants. JEM and JTEM exposure estimates were heterogeneous in most nursing jobs, except in emergency room and education/administration. Conclusions: The JTEM may provide more accurate estimates than the JEM, especially for nursing jobs with heterogeneous tasks. Use of the JTEM is likely to reduce exposure misclassification.