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Chronic respiratory conditions in a cohort of metropolitan fire-fighters: associations with occupational exposure and quality of life

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Abstract

Objectives

To assess the prevalence of chronic respiratory conditions in metropolitan fire-fighters and to study associations between occupational exposure, use of respiratory protection and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in fire-fighters with and without chronic respiratory conditions.

Methods

Cross-sectional cohort analysis: Respiratory symptoms, medical conditions, occupational tasks and exposures and consistency of using respiratory protection were inquired by questionnaire. The SF12®V2 Health Survey was used to measure physical (PCS-12) and mental (MCS-12) HRQoL. Fire-fighters were categorised in subgroups: asthma; COPD/emphysema/chronic bronchitis; no chronic respiratory conditions; and as being ‘not involved’ or ‘involved’ in fire-fighting tasks, the latter further categorised as ‘consistent’ or ‘inconsistent’ use of respiratory protection. PCS-12 and MCS-12 scores were compared between subgroups and categories using linear regression.

Results

Five hundred and seventy fire-fighters were analysed, 24 (4 %) fulfilled the criteria for asthma, 39 (7 %) for COPD/emphysema/chronic bronchitis. Fire-fighters with asthma were older than those in the other two subgroups and had been employed in the fire service longer. Respiratory subgroups did not differ in their involvement in fire-fighting tasks. Ninety-one percent of fire-fighters reported relevant occupational exposure in the past year. Mean PCS-12 scores for fire-fighters with no chronic respiratory conditions, asthma and COPD/emphysema/bronchitis were 52.0 (SD 6.9), 47.0 (8.5) and 48.1 (9.4). For PCS-12 (but not for MCS-12), interaction between having a chronic respiratory condition and inconsistent use of respiratory protection during fire knockdown was observed (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Ten percent of metropolitan fire-fighters reported underlying chronic respiratory conditions. Presence of such a condition in combination with suboptimal protection from inhaled exposures may lead to poorer physical HRQoL.

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Acknowledgments

Acknowledgement is made of the generosity of the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (SAMFS) fire-fighters in giving their time and effort, and of the contribution to the study by the SAMFS staff. The authors very much appreciate the preparatory work for the study performed by Guillaume Dujardin and Christine Holton, the statistical advice provided by Michelle Lorimer, the support in the data entry and processing by Daniel Blakeley, and the support in participant recruitment, planning and logistics by Commander Andrew Lindsey. The study was funded by the SAMFS and The University of Adelaide.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Primary Care Respiratory Research Unit, Discipline of General Practice, School of Population Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia

    Tjard R. Schermer

  2. Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Tjard R. Schermer

  3. Discipline of General Practice, School of Population Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia

    Winifred Malbon & Alan J. Crockett

  4. South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service, Adelaide Fire Station, 99 Wakefield Street, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia

    Michael Morgan & Michael Smith

  5. School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia

    Alan J. Crockett

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  1. Tjard R. Schermer
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  2. Winifred Malbon
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  3. Michael Morgan
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  4. Michael Smith
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  5. Alan J. Crockett
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Correspondence to Tjard R. Schermer.

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Schermer, T.R., Malbon, W., Morgan, M. et al. Chronic respiratory conditions in a cohort of metropolitan fire-fighters: associations with occupational exposure and quality of life. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 87, 919–928 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-014-0935-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-014-0935-8

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