Work Stressors and Asthma in Female and Male US Workers: Findings From the National Health Interview Survey

Abstract

Background: Prior work has linked work stressors to asthma. However, research related to gender-specific associations remains sparse and yielded mixed results. We aimed to address this gap. Methods: We drew on cross-sectional data from the 2015 National Health Interview Survey (individual-level response rate = 79.7%). Included were participants in employment who were aged 18–70 (n = 18,701). Work-to-family conflict, workplace bullying, and job insecurity were assessed as work stressors. Asthma was defined based on self-reports of a lifetime diagnosis by a doctor or other health professional. To account for the complex sampling design, variance estimation was used to compute weighted descriptive statistics and odds ratios (ORs) as well as corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using multivariable logistic regression. To test for interaction, interaction terms for work stressors and gender were included in additional models. Results: In the full sample, work-to-family conflict, workplace bullying and job insecurity showed positive associations with asthma (OR = 1.20, 95%CI = 1.03–1.40; OR = 1.45, 95%CI = 1.17–1.80; and OR = 1.20, 95%CI = 0.99–1.45, respectively). We did not observe meaningful gender differences in the magnitudes of the ORs. All interaction terms were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Work stressors were positively associated with asthma, but there was no evidence of gender differences. Prospective studies are needed to determine the potential temporal relation of these associations.