Design and Evaluation of Interventions to Improve Dairy Worker Respiratory Health

 描述（由申请人提供）：乳制品工人存在对呼吸系统健康产生不良影响的风险，包括过敏性肺炎、肺功能下降、慢性支气管炎和职业性哮喘。现代奶牛场的任务专业化导致长期暴露于吸入危害。有机粉尘及其生物成分统称为生物气溶胶，与呼吸道症状和肺功能变化有着千丝万缕的联系。革兰氏阴性细菌内毒素已被确定为乳制品呼吸系统健康受损的主要风险因素;新出现的证据表明，革兰氏阳性细菌（即，肽聚糖）和真菌（即，β-葡聚糖）也在解释牛奶工人的炎症和呼吸道疾病中发挥作用。除了工作场所暴露外，现代乳制品劳动力的内在和文化特征（>70%是拉丁美洲移民）增加了工人对急性和慢性呼吸道疾病的脆弱性。美国的移民工人一直面临着更高的致命和非致命职业疾病和伤害率。拉丁美洲工人没有以前的职业接触牲畜表现出高度敏感性的呼吸影响的生物气溶胶。制定和测试减少奶制品工人暴露于炎性气溶胶的策略必须考虑到劳动力的文化背景、干预措施的经济和操作可行性以及所生产商品的质量和数量。然而，很少有研究专门设计来评估控制策略，以限制职业暴露于吸入性危害的乳品劳动力。该项目的总体目标是与高平原山间健康与安全中心（HICAHS）乳制品行业合作伙伴合作，制定和实施可持续的干预措施，以改善乳制品劳动力的呼吸系统健康。本研究的目的是描述乳品工人的微生物暴露特征，为设计和评估最佳实践干预措施提供信息，以减少工作场所吸入危害。作为该项目的一部分，我们将：（1）根据乳品工人的任务确定对三种生物气溶胶成分的呼吸反应;（2）设计和评估干预措施，解决乳品环境中与呼吸健康相关的生物气溶胶暴露，特别关注室内环境中的工人（例如，挤奶厅）;（3）评估干预策略对乳制品行业合作伙伴和员工的可行性和可接受性。与行业合作伙伴合作，了解改善劳动力健康计划的机会和障碍，是任何干预研究的一个重要方面。鉴于HICAHS在生物气溶胶研究方面的实力，与区域乳制品生产商长达十多年的合作伙伴关系以及广泛的推广渠道，我们预计该项目将为最佳实践（r2 p）提供信息，以保护受工作场所环境暴露影响不成比例的乳制品工人弱势群体。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Dairy workers are at risk for adverse respiratory health effects including hypersensitivity pneumonitis, decreased lung function, chronic bronchitis, and occupational asthma. Task specialization on modern dairies results in prolonged exposures to inhalation hazards. Organic dust and its biological constituents, collectively known as bioaerosols, are inextricably linked to respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function changes. Gram-negative bacterial endotoxins have been identified as a major risk factor for impaired respiratory health on dairies; emerging evidence suggests that Gram-positive bacteria (i.e., peptidoglycans) and fungi (i.e., ß- glucans) also play a role in explaining inflammation an respiratory disease in dairy workers. In addition to workplace exposures, intrinsic and cultural characteristics of the modern dairy workforce (>70% are Latino immigrants) increase worker vulnerability to acute and chronic respiratory disease. Immigrant workers in the US consistently face higher rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational illnesses and injuries. Latino workers with no prior occupational exposure to livestock have exhibited heightened susceptibility to the respiratory effects of bioaerosols. Development and testing of strategies to reduce dairy worker exposure to inflammatory aerosols must take into account the cultural context of the workforce, the economic and operational feasibility of the intervention(s), and the quality and quantity of th produced commodity. However, few studies have been designed specifically to evaluate control strategies to limit occupational exposure to inhalation hazards for the dairy workforce. The overall goal of this project is to collaborate with High Plains Intermountain Center for Agriculturl Health and Safety (HICAHS) dairy industry partners to develop and implement sustainable interventions to improve respiratory health in the dairy workforce. The objective of this research is to characterize microbial exposures among dairy workers to inform the design and evaluation of best practice interventions to reduce worksite inhalation hazards. As part of this project, we will: (1) determine respiratory response to three bioaerosol constituents based on tasks among dairy workers; (2) design and assess interventions that address bioaerosol exposures associated with respiratory health in dairy settings, with particular focus on workers in indoor settings (e.g., milking parlors); and (3) evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of interventio strategies to dairy industry partners and employees. Collaboration with industry partners to understand opportunities and barriers for programs to improve workforce health is a critical aspect of any intervention research. Given HICAHS' strength in bioaerosols research, more than a decade long cooperative partnerships with regional dairy producers, and extensive outreach channels, we expect that this project will inform best practices (r2p) to protect the vulnerable population of dairy workers disproportionately impacted by environmental exposures in the workplace.