(Productivity Health-Care Quarterly: Corporate Wellness Premium Content From Atlanta Business Chronicle by Kimberly Smith, Contributing Writer)
Spring and fall are often regarded as Atlanta’s prime allergy seasons. But at work, wheezing, sneezing or worse can be a year-round challenge for people who have allergies, asthma or both.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 percent of the U.S. population, which translates to about 50 million people, are affected by an allergy. In adults, allergy is the fifth most common chronic disease, and the incidence of being affected by an allergy has been steadily rising during the last 30 years.
“People tend to be genetically predisposed to developing allergies,” said Angel Waldron, spokesperson for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) in Landover, Md., “but certain environments can make it more challenging in that a person’s job might cause them to be exposed to the specific allergens that will trigger allergy symptoms.”
In addition to the physical toll these conditions take on employees, workplace allergies and asthma can add up to extra costs for employers in terms of lost productivity, workers’ compensation claims and higher costs for health insurance and health-care expenses.
Allergies are a major cause of employee absenteeism and “presenteeism,” a term for working while not fully functional due to illness or a medical condition, Waldron noted. Statistics from the AAFA cite allergies as the reason for almost 4 million missed or lost work days each year. Those work days carry an estimated cost of more than $700 million in total lost productivity, she said.
Research published in the journal Current Medical Research & Opinion also blames allergy-related symptoms as a significant cause of lost productivity at work. According to the study, the incidence of workplace allergies is significant, varying by occupation from between 5 percent and 65 percent at an annual cost of about $593 per employee in lost productivity.
What’s more, the annual health-care bill for allergy-related symptoms is at an estimated $14.5 billion, according to AAFA data. Of that amount, $12.3 billion accounts for prescription and over-the-counter medications and doctor visits.
To help workers breathe easier on the job and ease the financial burden on employers, experts recommend a series of measures to help decrease exposure to workplace allergens and other steps to remedy situations where allergy and asthma triggers may affect employees.
Dr. Amy Hirsh, an allergy and asthma specialist at Peachtree Allergy and Asthma Clinic, located in Buckhead, Vinings, Sharpsburg and Carrollton, said the close proximity of adjoining office work cubicles may aggravate allergy or asthma symptoms in some people.
“If you have allergies or asthma, and you work in an office environment, one of your co-workers could actually be triggering your symptoms,” Hirsh said. “For example, if a person owns a cat, they’re likely bringing cat dander into the office on their clothing, which could trigger symptoms for the person in the cubicle next door who is allergic to cat dander,” she said.
The scents and odors lingering on colleagues who smoke outside of the office or wear perfumes or colognes to work can also trigger an allergic reaction or asthma symptoms if a person is sensitive to the chemicals and particulates in those substances, Hirsh said.
“If an allergen or asthma trigger from a co-worker is causing your symptoms to flare up, moving to a different cubicle location might be your best option,” she said.
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| Grace Chiang, M.D. |
Dr. Grace Chiang, an allergist and immunologist at WellStar Medical Group in Smyrna, said carpeting, drapes and upholstered furniture are among the favorite hideouts for tiny dust mites, a common allergy and asthma trigger.
“I would recommend removing the carpeting,” Chiang said. “It can harbor thousands of dust mites and other allergens. If possible, go with hardwood floors or tile instead.”
Chiang also cautioned against neglecting the office heat and air conditioning system. “Routine heating and air conditioning maintenance that includes a regular filter change using a pleated filter can help improve indoor air quality,” Chiang said. Pleated filters are better than the flat surface filters because the pleats create extra surface area, which helps to capture more allergens. Another option is to purchase a free-standing HEPA filter, Chiang said.
For people who usually work outdoors, there’s not a lot that can be done to avoid such allergy triggers as pollen, chemicals in polluted air or dust. “During pollen season when levels are high, it may help to wear a mask,” Chiang said.
