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

Occupation	Total			Male			Female
Occupation	Estimated Population	Prevalence (%)	95% Confidence Interval	Estimated Population	Prevalence (%)	95% Confidence Interval	Estimated Population	Prevalence (%)	95% Confidence Interval
Management
Chief executives; general and operations managers; legislators	518,030	10.8	6.5–15.2	407,331	9.5	4.3–14.6	110,699	15.9	6.9–24.8
Advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers	159,429	9.4*	3.5–15.3	97,710	9.6*	3.0–16.1	61,719	†	†
Operations specialties managers	571,583	14.9	10.8–19.1	327,512	13.5	8.4–18.6	244,071	16.8	10.1–23.5
Other management occupations	1,773,378	11.8	9.8–13.8	1,176,164	11.0	8.6–13.5	597,214	13.3	9.6–17.0
Business and Financial Operations
Business operations specialists	703,509	13.4	10.0–16.9	346,368	9.3	5.1–13.6	357,141	17.4	12.1–22.8
Financial specialists	584,775	11.3	8.3–14.3	278,566	10.1	5.4–14.8	306,209	12.4	8.6–16.2
Computer and Mathematical
Computer specialists	672,015	13.3	9.9–16.7	521,488	11.8	8.1–15.5	150,527	18.6	9.7–27.5
Mathematical science occupations	31,777	†	†	13,463	†	†	18,314	†	†
Architecture and Engineering
Architects, surveyors, and cartographers	49,631	†	†	42,251	†	†	7,380	–	–
Engineers	360,699	9.7	6.3–13.1	333,224	10.4	6.7–14.0	27,475	†	†
Drafters, engineering, and mapping technicians	155,186	8.2	3.4–13.0	143,381	8.9	3.7–14.1	11,806	–	–
Life, Physical, and Social Science
Life scientists	85,659	8.7*	1.7–15.8	54,435	†	†	31,224	18.6*	2.8–34.3
Physical scientists	64,450	17.8*	7.2–28.3	46,541	14.7*	2.6–26.7	17,909	25.8*	4.2–47.5
Social scientists and related workers	117,730	15.2	8.0–22.4	48,996	17.5*	4.9–30.1	68,734	13.6*	5.0–22.2
Life, physical, and social science technicians	60,696	13.5*	2.2–24.9	41,752	†	†	18,944	23.9*	1.3–46.4
Community and Social Services
Counselors, social workers, and other community and social service specialists	365,732	18.4	13.4–23.4	106,087	19.6	11.0–28.2	259,645	17.9	11.8–24.0
Religious workers	113,725	9.3*	2.1–16.4	90,370	11.0*	2.1–19.9	23,355	†	†
Legal
Lawyers, judges, and related workers	236,581	15.2	9.6–20.9	158,596	14.8	7.8–21.8	77,985	16.1*	6.5–25.6
Legal support workers	125,677	13.4*	5.3–21.6	32,414	†	†	93,263	14.5*	4.9–24.1
Education, Training, and Library
Postsecondary teachers	260,781	12.8	8.6–17.0	136,553	12.9	6.5–19.3	124,229	12.7	6.2–19.2
Primary, secondary, and special education school teachers	805,821	13.2	10.4–15.9	187,432	10.0	5.1–14.8	618,389	14.1	10.8–17.5
Other teachers and instructors	137,971	13.2*	5.0–21.5	62,152	†	†	75,819	20.6*	8.3–32.8
Librarians, curators, and archivists	58,550	13.9*	4.5–23.4	11,014	†	†	47,536	13.7*	3.2–24.2
Other education, training, and library occupations	184,349	16.2	9.6–22.9	17,425	†	†	166,924	17.1	9.9–24.3
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
Art and design workers	246,192	11.9	6.7–17.0	128,705	10.6*	2.9–18.2	117,487	13.2	6.3–20.2
Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers	116,826	7.9*	2.6–13.2	79,537	8.1*	1.4–14.7	37,289	†	†
Media and communication workers	157,550	18.8	10.7–26.9	81,659	14.5*	4.2–24.8	75,892	23.4	10.7–36.1
Media and communication equipment workers	60,942	14.7*	2.3–27.2	36,302	14.4*	0.6–28.1	24,639	†	†
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
Health diagnosing and treating practitioners	896,607	12.2	9.6–14.8	258,473	5.7*	2.1–9.3	638,134	14.9	11.5–18.2
Health technologists and technicians	391,505	15.2	10.6–19.8	92,462	8.6*	1.5–15.7	299,043	17.2	11.7–22.7
Other healthcare practitioners and technical	12,391	–	–	8,253	–	–	4,139	–	–
Healthcare Support
Nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides	253,547	18.9	13.7–24.1	48,206	†	†	205,341	21.5	15.2–27.7
Occupational and physical therapist assistants and aides	6,234	–	–	†	nc	nc	5,640	–	–
Other healthcare support occupations	176,169	11.0	6.1–15.9	26,844	†	†	149,325	12.4	6.7–18.1
Protective Service
First-line supervisors/managers, protective service workers	67,926	11.4*	3.1–19.8	55,487	14.0*	4.0–24.0	12,439	–	–
Fire fighting and prevention workers	65,381	†	†	63,235	†	†	2,146	–	–
Law enforcement workers	235,113	7.8	3.7–11.9	191,497	7.9	3.3–12.5	43,616	†	†
Other protective service workers	215,461	13.5	8.1–18.9	175,250	10.8	5.0–16.6	40,211	25.3	12.0–38.5
Food Preparation and Serving Related
Supervisors, food preparation, and serving workers	149,436	20.6	12.5–28.7	89,681	15.5*	6.2–24.7	59,755	28.3	14.0–42.7
Cooks and food preparation workers	309,473	11.1*	4.4–17.7	164,773	†	†	144,700	10.5	5.7–15.2
Food and beverage serving working	322,580	13.9	9.6–18.3	112,341	11.0*	3.3–18.6	210,239	15.5	10.1–20.9
Other food preparation and serving related workers	77,240	10.3*	1.3–19.4	44,876	14.7*	0.3–29.2	32,364	†	†
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
Supervisors, building and grounds cleaning and maintenance workers	111,384	11.3*	3.7–19.0	93,572	7.8*	0.6–15.1	17,812	29.8*	5.6–53.9
Building cleaning and pest control workers	616,081	12.6	9.6–15.6	360,654	9.6	6.1–13.1	255,427	16.9	11.2–22.6
Grounds maintenance workers	232,893	10.8	5.4–16.3	212,728	11.1	5.2–17.0	20,165	†	†
Personal Care and Service
Supervisors, personal care and service workers	25,981	–	–	5,538	–	–	20,443	–	–
Animal care and service workers	39,612	11.3*	0.8–21.8	12,053	†	†	27,559	†	†
Entertainment attendants and related workers	45,304	25.9*	5.6–46.3	33,335	32.7*	7.1–58.4	11,969	†	†
Funeral service workers	†	nc	nc	†	nc	nc	–	nc	nc
Personal appearance workers	197,885	11.4	6.2–16.7	27,577	†	†	170,308	12.3	6.4–18.3
Transportation, tourism, and lodging attendants	32,616	†	†	21,515	†	†	11,101	†	†
Other personal care and service workers	379,253	13.7	9.3–18.0	43,300	†	†	335,953	14.5	9.7–19.3
Sales and Related
Supervisors, sales workers	745,778	9.5	7.0–12.1	503,214	7.0	4.2–9.9	242,564	14.8	9.5–20.1
Retail sales workers	889,791	12.1	9.2–14.9	412,663	8.1	4.4–11.8	477,129	15.5	11.5–19.5
Sales representatives, services	405,825	8.6	5.2–12.1	268,524	9.0	4.3–13.7	137,301	7.9*	3.0–12.7
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing	276,605	10.1	5.7–14.5	222,609	9.4	4.9–13.8	53,996	†	†
Other sales and related workers	399,735	10.9	7.2–14.6	208,276	9.2	4.4–14.0	191,458	12.8	7.6–17.9
Office and Administrative Support
Supervisors, office and administrative support workers	318,668	14.3	10.0–18.6	98,079	8.1*	2.4–13.8	220,589	17.0	11.4–22.6
Communications equipment operators	11,588	†	†	†	nc	nc	9,032	†	†
Financial clerks	559,401	15.6	10.7–20.5	79,894	12.7*	1.4–24.0	479,507	16.0	10.7–21.4
Information and record clerks	815,076	12.7	10.0–15.5	195,263	12.6	6.1–19.1	619,813	12.7	9.8–15.7
Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers	600,427	12.3	9.1–15.6	382,043	9.7	6.0–13.4	218,384	16.9	10.3–23.4
Secretaries and administrative assistants	570,870	13.5	10.2–16.8	33,888	10.9*	0.9–21.0	536,982	13.7	–
Other office and administrative support workers	467,984	13.4	10.0–16.9	111,159	4.8*	0.8–8.8	356,824	16.1	12.0–20.3
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
Supervisors, farming, fishing, and forestry workers	19,776	–	–	18,184	–	–	†	nc	nc
Agricultural workers	106,968	6.0*	0.7–11.4	92,438	†	†	14,530	26.9*	1.7–52.1
Fishing and hunting workers	11,278	†	†	11,278	†	†	–	nc	nc
Forest, conservation, and logging workers	8,752	†	†	8,752	†	†	–	nc	nc
Construction and Extraction
Supervisors, construction and extraction workers	183,304	4.8*	1.0–8.7	181,626	4.9*	1.0–8.8	1,678	–	–
Construction trades workers	1,287,215	7.8	6.1–9.6	1,258,568	7.6	5.8–9.3	28,647	20.8*	3.9–37.6
Helpers, construction trades	9,087	†	†	9,087	†	†	–	nc	nc
Other construction and related workers	92,903	11.8*	4.1–19.5	92,485	11.9*	4.1–19.6	†	nc	nc
Extraction workers	27,169	†	†	27,169	†	†	–	nc	nc
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Supervisors of installation, maintenance, and repair workers	96,003	10.9*	2.4–19.3	92,103	10.1*	1.6–18.6	†	nc	nc
Electrical and electronic equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers	197,354	6.5*	2.5–10.6	177,306	6.2*	2.0–10.3	20,048	†	†
Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers	395,795	5.9	3.1–8.7	393,658	5.9	3.1–8.7	2,137	–	–
Other installation, maintenance, and repair occupations	518,450	10.0	6.6–13.5	506,674	9.7	6.2–13.2	11,776	†	†
Production
Supervisors, production workers	205,592	8.1*	3.3–13.0	176,336	7.7*	2.5–12.9	29,256	†	†
Assemblers and fabricators	237,270	9.9	5.5–14.3	164,274	7.9*	3.0–12.8	72,996	14.3*	5.1–23.5
Food processing workers	70,182	13.2*	5.2–21.3	47,130	16.0*	5.2–26.8	23,052	†	†
Metal workers and plastic workers	382,965	10.8	7.2–14.4	343,589	11.2	7.3–15.2	39,376	†	†
Printing workers	88,746	12.4*	5.1–19.7	65,795	7.8*	1.0–14.6	22,951	25.5*	4.4–46.6
Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers	118,158	†	†	58,624	†	†	59,534	†	†
Woodworkers	32,002	†	†	30,947	†	†	1,055	–	–
Plant and system operators	75,717	†	†	73,409	†	†	2,308	–	–
Other production occupations	576,520	9.7	6.6–12.9	433,985	8.5	5.0–12.0	142,535	13.4	7.0–19.8
Transportation and Material Moving
Supervisors, transportation and material moving workers	52,655	†	†	38,783	†	†	13,872	†	†
Air transportation workers	40,619	14.9*	1.2–28.5	32,133	†	†	8,487	45.0*	–
Motor vehicle operators	974,404	8.6	6.3–10.8	863,430	7.1	4.9–9.3	110,974	19.6	11.1–28.1
Rail transportation workers	21,767	†	†	20,260	†	†	†	nc	nc
Water transportation workers	9,296	†	†	9,296	†	†	–	nc	nc
Other transportation workers	43,221	†	†	33,115	†	†	†	nc	nc
Material moving workers	514,387	9.0	6.3–11.8	455,727	8.2	5.3–11.1	58,661	15.2*	5.3–25.2
Millitary	38,272	23.3*	4.6–41.9	24,273	†	†	13,999	†	†
Refused, Not Ascertained, Don’t Know	484,798	6.3	4.0–8.6	312,038	6.1	3.3–9.0	172,760	6.6*	2.5–10.7
TOTAL	26,626,600	11.5	11.0–12.0	15,725,229	9.3	8.7–9.9	10,901,371	14.8	13.9–15.6

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.

Life time asthma is defined as those who have ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that they had asthma. Former cigarette smokers are those who reported smoking ≥100 cigarettes in their lifetime and at the time of the interview did not smoke. 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). 2015-888 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/888> April 26, 2024.

Reference Number: 2015-888

Date Posted: October 2015

Data Formats

Comma separated values (.csv)

Page last reviewed: October 23, 2015

Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)