Current asthma: Estimated prevalence among current cigarette smokers by occupation and sex, U.S. working adults aged ≥18 years, NHIS 2004–2011

OccupationTotalMaleFemale
Estimated PopulationPrevalence (%)95% Confidence IntervalEstimated PopulationPrevalence (%)95% Confidence IntervalEstimated PopulationPrevalence (%)95% Confidence Interval
Management
Chief executives; general and operations managers; legislators 234,254 3.2* 0.7–5.7 184,418 49,837 10.8* 1.4–20.2
Advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers 125,908 4.6* 0.1–9.0 66,320 59,588
Operations specialties managers 324,229 3.4* 1.2–5.6 193,642 3.7* 0.6–6.7 130,586
Other management occupations 1,381,057 6.8 4.5–9.1 875,911 5.3* 2.1–8.5 505,146 9.4 6.1–12.8
Business and Financial Operations
Business operations specialists 442,870 5.0 2.8–7.3 205,100 2.1* 0.3–3.9 237,771 7.6 3.8–11.4
Financial specialists 412,283 5.9 3.1–8.7 168,651 4.7* 0.3–9.1 243,632 6.7 3.1–10.4
Computer and Mathematical
Computer specialists 446,850 5.3 3.1–7.4 352,061 5.0 2.5–7.4 94,790 6.4* 1.9–10.8
Mathematical science occupations 23,083 9,961 13,122
Architecture and Engineering
Architects, surveyors, and cartographers 24,596 20,137 nc nc
Engineers 191,114 6.2* 1.4–11.0 171,865 5.1* 0.3–9.9 19,249
Drafters, engineering, and mapping technicians 166,116 150,816 15,300
Life, Physical, and Social Science
Life scientists 23,154 16,517 6,637
Physical scientists 27,477 14,353 13,124
Social scientists and related workers 37,208 11,824 25,384
Life, physical, and social science technicians 47,760 31,372 16,389
Community and Social Services
Counselors, social workers, and other community and social service specialists 256,047 8.4 4.7–12.0 81,635 174,412 10.6 5.6–15.6
Religious workers 11,114 5,955 5,159
Legal
Lawyers, judges, and related workers 62,420 37,178 25,242
Legal support workers 101,944 9.5* 2.5–16.5 18,615 83,329 10.3* 2.1–18.5
Education, Training, and Library
Postsecondary teachers 109,777 62,811 46,966
Primary, secondary, and special education school teachers 391,574 9.3 6.2–12.4 92,650 6.5* 1.1–12.0 298,924 10.2 6.5–13.9
Other teachers and instructors 95,857 40,236 55,621
Librarians, curators, and archivists 29,081 10,110 18,972
Other education, training, and library occupations 127,347 3.9* 1.5–6.3 14,774 112,573 3.7* 1.5–6.0
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
Art and design workers 164,512 3.8* 0.4–7.3 92,216 72,296
Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers 88,440 13.5* 3.9–23.2 56,342 32,098 23.7* 4.1–43.4
Media and communication workers 101,841 5.9* 1.4–10.4 54,594 47,247
Media and communication equipment workers 44,434 35,605 8,830
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
Health diagnosing and treating practitioners 485,417 8.5 5.0–11.9 72,561 5.9* 0.5–11.2 412,855 8.9 4.9–13.0
Health technologists and technicians 390,562 7.2 4.2–10.2 78,301 5.5* 1.2–9.7 312,261 7.6 4.0–11.3
Other healthcare practitioners and technical 8,024 7,137 nc nc
Healthcare Support
Nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides 562,624 12.2 9.1–15.3 55,933 506,691 12.5 9.3–15.6
Occupational and physical therapist assistants and aides 12,144 3,495 nc nc
Other healthcare support occupations 215,845 6.1 3.1–9.2 21,722 194,124 nc nc
Protective Service
First-line supervisors/managers, protective service workers 44,964 34,986 nc nc
Fire fighting and prevention workers 14,303 11,016 nc nc
Law enforcement workers 173,077 3.5* 0.8–6.2 124,516 48,561 10.8* 2.0–19.5
Other protective service workers 236,876 6.8 3.2–10.5 163,321 5.0* 1.7–8.3 73,554 10.9* 2.3–19.6
Food Preparation and Serving Related
Supervisors, food preparation, and serving workers 288,540 4.5* 1.7–7.3 160,735 127,805 8.1* 2.3–14.0
Cooks and food preparation workers 778,113 8.2 5.6–10.8 475,265 7.7 4.2–11.2 302,848 9.1 5.4–12.7
Food and beverage serving working 1,042,941 8.6 6.1–11.0 314,592 7.7* 2.6–12.9 728,349 8.9 6.2–11.7
Other food preparation and serving related workers 161,682 5.7* 1.3–10.2 103,898 57,784
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
Supervisors, building and grounds cleaning and maintenance workers 125,622 9.3* 2.7–15.8 84,855 9.4* 1.1–17.6 40,767
Building cleaning and pest control workers 866,981 5.8 4.1–7.5 438,571 4.1 2.1–6.0 428,411 7.6 5.0–10.3
Grounds maintenance workers 342,129 4.5 1.9–7.0 314,376 3.8* 1.1–6.4 27,753
Personal Care and Service
Supervisors, personal care and service workers 36,229 14,442 21,787
Animal care and service workers 62,537 16,328 46,209
Entertainment attendants and related workers 62,761 44,184 18,577
Funeral service workers nc nc nc nc nc nc
Personal appearance workers 218,412 12.7 6.4–18.9 36,986 181,426 14.2 6.9–21.5
Transportation, tourism, and lodging attendants 37,480 11.1* 0.3–21.8 18,951 18,529
Other personal care and service workers 488,373 13.0 9.2–16.8 73,301 16.1* 3.2–28.9 415,072 12.4 8.9–16.0
Sales and Related
Supervisors, sales workers 903,980 5.2 3.5–6.9 534,336 2.7 1.2–4.2 369,644 8.8 5.5–12.1
Retail sales workers 1,441,407 9.4 7.2–11.6 605,165 7.3 3.6–11.0 836,242 10.9 8.2–13.5
Sales representatives, services 321,673 7.4 3.4–11.5 193,397 6.4* 0.8–12.1 128,276 9.0* 3.3–14.7
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing 213,597 6.9* 2.8–11.1 150,928 7.8* 2.2–13.3 62,669
Other sales and related workers 283,550 6.4 3.2–9.7 136,838 3.5* 0.5–6.4 146,713 9.2 3.9–14.5
Office and Administrative Support
Supervisors, office and administrative support workers 241,819 4.9* 1.4–8.4 90,863 150,956 5.9* 0.9–10.9
Communications equipment operators 23,132 nc nc 21,289
Financial clerks 515,831 7.4 4.8–10.1 61,506 454,324 7.7 4.8–10.5
Information and record clerks 929,216 9.3 5.7–12.9 258,182 5.0* 1.6–8.5 671,035 10.9 6.3–15.5
Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers 888,814 7.5 5.2–9.8 532,962 4.9 2.3–7.4 355,852 11.5 7.4–15.6
Secretaries and administrative assistants 511,539 6.3 4.0–8.7 23,751 487,788 nc nc
Other office and administrative support workers 519,520 8.9 5.9–11.9 118,953 400,567 8.8 5.9–11.7
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
Supervisors, farming, fishing, and forestry workers 9,138 8,503 nc nc
Agricultural workers 154,742 4.6* 1.3–7.9 128,305 4.3* 0.1–8.5 26,437
Fishing and hunting workers 14,674 14,257 nc nc
Forest, conservation, and logging workers 30,038 30,038 nc nc
Construction and Extraction
Supervisors, construction and extraction workers 255,732 3.0* 0.2–5.9 246,329 3.1* 0.2–6.1 9,402
Construction trades workers 2,321,055 3.7 2.6–4.7 2,263,087 3.7 2.6–4.7 57,969
Helpers, construction trades 38,199 36,817 nc nc
Other construction and related workers 94,351 89,904 nc nc
Extraction workers 64,490 64,490 nc nc
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Supervisors of installation, maintenance, and repair workers 79,803 11.9* 3.5–20.4 71,916 10.0* 1.4–18.6 7,888
Electrical and electronic equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers 186,357 8.1* 1.4–14.8 166,912 19,445 25.4* 5.9–44.8
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers 560,300 3.8 1.8–5.8 550,214 3.8 1.8–5.9 10,086
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations 669,731 2.0 0.9–3.2 643,958 1.9* 0.7–3.0 25,773
Production
Supervisors, production workers 220,882 4.0* 1.1–6.9 180,310 40,572 14.8* 1.9–27.7
Assemblers and fabricators 365,095 4.4 2.0–6.7 218,058 2.3* 0.2–4.4 147,037 7.4* 2.6–12.3
Food processing workers 170,527 7.7* 2.6–12.9 100,547 69,981 15.8* 4.6–27.0
Metal workers and plastic workers 612,615 1.9* 0.6–3.2 551,754 1.6* 0.3–2.9 60,860
Printing workers 98,611 82,079 16,531
Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers 146,118 6.3* 1.8–10.8 60,895 85,223 9.1* 2.0–16.2
Woodworkers 69,885 59,715 10,169
Plant and system operators 55,013 54,636 nc nc
Other production occupations 813,920 7.1 4.8–9.4 551,205 4.7 2.6–6.8 262,715 12.1 6.8–17.3
Transportation and Material Moving
Supervisors, transportation and material moving workers 49,085 39,329 9,756
Air transportation workers 16,116 12,483 3,633 nc nc
Motor vehicle operators 1,219,790 5.9 4.2–7.6 1,053,713 5.8 3.9–7.7 166,078 6.5* 2.4–10.7
Rail transportation workers 26,543 25,487 nc nc
Water transportation workers 12,821 11,390 nc nc
Other transportation workers 86,040 9.5* 0.2–18.7 71,097 14,943
Material moving workers 1,007,754 3.9 2.5–5.4 824,421 3.3 1.8–4.8 183,333 6.7* 2.2–11.1
Millitary 19,129 15,217 nc nc
Refused, Not Ascertained, Don’t Know 518,504 3.0* 1.1–4.9 350,928 2.8* 0.4–5.2 167,576 3.4* 0.7–6.2
TOTAL 28,931,909 6.3 5.9–6.7 17,034,086 4.4 3.9–4.8 11,897,823 9.1 8.4–9.7

nc - not calculated

* Estimates with a relative standard error of >30% and ≤50% are statistically unstable due to small sample size and should be used with caution as they do not meet the standards of reliability.

† Estimates with a relative standard error of >50% are suppressed.

– No estimates due to no cases or no respondents.

Note:

Numbers presented are average annual estimates for the period 2004–2011. Prevalence estimates are weighted and are not age-adjusted. Estimated totals may not add up due to rounding/suppression.

Current asthma is defined as those who have ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that they had asthma and currently still have asthma at the time of the survey. Current smokers are those who reported smoking ≥100 cigarettes during their lifetime and employed in the week prior to the survey. Working adults are those who were employed in the week prior to the survey. Estimated populations represent current U.S. workers aged ≥18 years.

See Appendix for more details.

Source:

National Center for Health Statistics National Health Interview Surveys 2004 to 2011.

Citation:

NIOSH 2015. Work-Related Lung Disease Surveillance System (eWoRLD). 2015-871 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Respiratory Health Division, Morgantown, WV. Available at: <https://wwwn.cdc.gov/eWorld/Data/871> April 19, 2024.

Reference Number: 2015-871

Date Posted: October 2015

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Page last reviewed: October 23, 2015