Occupational asthma in New Zealand sawmill workers

The aims of this project are:

1. To assess the incidence of occupational asthma in previously unexposed newly or recently recruited saw mill workers;
2. To assess the incidence of decline in lung function in previously unexposed newly or recently recruited saw mill;
3. To assess whether dust exposures in the sawmill work environment are associated with these effects;
4. To assess which specific work-related factors increase the probability of a favourable prognosis after the diagnosis of occupational asthma;
5. To assess which preventive programmes are likely to be most effective.