Occupational Risk Factors for COPD: A Case-Control Study
Print Essay 
The article in consideration is Occupational Risk Factors for COPD: A Case-Control Study (Kraim-Leleu, Lesage, Drame, Lebargy, & Deschamps, 2016).
Characteristics That Identify the Article as a Case-Control Study
The study is retrospective as it starts with the outcome then traces back to examine the exposures. It starts by identifying persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and those without the disease before examining the different exposures.
The study design was aimed at determining the association between exposure and an outcome. This is evident from the purpose of the study which is to identify the jobs and occupational factors most likely to contribute to the development of COPD.
The study allows assessment of multiple exposures for one outcome. The exposures included sporting and leisure inactivity, living in urban areas, age, foundry, tooling/machining, and textiles for an outcome of having COPD.
Importance of the Study
The study is important because it recognizes occupational exposure as a risk factor for COPD hence the need for more research to increase the knowledge of occupational risks and prevent them more effectively. As a result, there would be reduced mortality and the costs associated with the disease.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study was to identify the jobs and occupational factors most likely to contribute to the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Specifically, the study aimed to find the relationship between COPD and a selection of occupations.
Characteristics Used to Match the Case Group to the Control Group
The characteristics used to match the case group to the control group were sex, age (+/- five years) and smoking (current, former, or nonsmokers).
Characteristics That May Influence Study Outcomes and What Makes the Study Group Special
The study group is special because they were chosen from specific occupations. Despite this, some characteristics may influence the outcome of this study. For instance, the memory of participants. The study may have problems with the quality of data because it relies on memory which may result in difficulties in obtaining reliable information from the participants (Rothman, Greenland, & Lash, 2008). Also, the study does not provide similar levels of evidence as other methods such as randomized controlled trials.
Protective and Risk Factors
The factors that are considered to be protective against COPD include more than an hour of sporting a week, farming and pottery. On the other hand, the factors that are linked to a greater increase of the disease include living in urban areas, lack of a leisure activity, age, foundry, tooling/machining, and textiles.
Findings of the Study
Occupational exposure to metal fumes increases the risk of COPD.
Tooling/Machining was a risk factor for COPD before adjustment for personal risk factors.
There is no significant relationship between the textile industry and COPD.
Being a farmer was a protective factor for COPD, albeit a statistically insignificant one.
Lack of physical and leisure activities was significantly associated with an increased risk of COPD.
Living in a city was associated with a risk of COPD.
Limitations of the Study
The multicenter nature of the study may have introduced a selection bias and differences in how the data was collected.
The study included younger or older participants than was originally planned in order to create the 560 pairs needed to meet the study criteria.
Some occupations were underrepresented hence reducing the number of cases and controls in some sectors.
The study did not take into account personal risk factors such as passive smoking in the home.
The healthy worker effect may have decreased the role of occupational exposure to the development of COPD.
Authors Suggestions on Future Studies
Based on the findings, the authors suggest that future studies should continue research on occupational risk factors so as to reduce the burden of COPD worldwide. Future case-control studies should focus on specific occupations so as to deepen our understanding and complement the work accomplished in the present study.
References
Kraim-Leleu, M., Lesage, F. X., Drame, M., Lebargy, F., & Deschamps, F. (2016). Occupational Risk Factors for COPD: A Case-Control Study. PloS one, 11(8), e0158719.
Rothman, K. J., Greenland, S., & Lash, T. L. (2008). Casecontrol studies. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
If you are the original author of this essay and no longer wish to have it published on the SuperbGrade website, please click below to request its removal: