Occupational COPD: Emerging Risks and Preventive Strategies in High-Risk Work Environments
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Mentor Information
Narasaiah Kolliputi
Description
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease marked by persistent airflow limitation, intensified by occupational exposure to dust, chemicals, fumes, and airborne hazards. Healthcare workers and first responders operate in complex environments that may contribute to COPD development. This review evaluates occupational risk factors and prevention strategies relevant to high-risk workers. A PubMed search using the terms “COPD” and “occupational” identified 130 articles, of which 40 peer-reviewed studies were selected following relevance-based screening. The literature showed that long-term exposure to gases, fumes, vapors, and dust significantly increases COPD risk and is associated with chronic respiratory symptoms, reduced lung function, and accelerated disease progression. Many occupational COPD cases were underdiagnosed or misattributed to non-occupational causes. Identified preventive strategies included improved workplace ventilation, exposure monitoring and reduction, personal protective equipment usage, worker education, and respiratory health surveillance. Preventing hazardous exposures and improving early respiratory care are essential to reducing occupational COPD, though gaps remain in defining exposure response relationships and long-term risk thresholds.
Occupational COPD: Emerging Risks and Preventive Strategies in High-Risk Work Environments
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease marked by persistent airflow limitation, intensified by occupational exposure to dust, chemicals, fumes, and airborne hazards. Healthcare workers and first responders operate in complex environments that may contribute to COPD development. This review evaluates occupational risk factors and prevention strategies relevant to high-risk workers. A PubMed search using the terms “COPD” and “occupational” identified 130 articles, of which 40 peer-reviewed studies were selected following relevance-based screening. The literature showed that long-term exposure to gases, fumes, vapors, and dust significantly increases COPD risk and is associated with chronic respiratory symptoms, reduced lung function, and accelerated disease progression. Many occupational COPD cases were underdiagnosed or misattributed to non-occupational causes. Identified preventive strategies included improved workplace ventilation, exposure monitoring and reduction, personal protective equipment usage, worker education, and respiratory health surveillance. Preventing hazardous exposures and improving early respiratory care are essential to reducing occupational COPD, though gaps remain in defining exposure response relationships and long-term risk thresholds.
