Journal of Occupational

Background: Asthma is a chronic multifactorial disease with a high prevalence. Among asthma risk factors, the effect of baking in wood tenor ovens (traditional form of baking) on bronchial asthma is still debated. The aim of this study was to determine the association between baking in wood tenor ovens and incidence and control of bronchial asthma.

Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on 109 patients with asthma referring to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ardabil, Iran, in 2013. Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) was used to evaluate asthma control. Patients' asthma control was individually evaluated and compared with particular attention to history of baking in wood tenor ovens.Chi-square and Tau-Kendall tests were used to analyze the data in SPSS software.

Results: Of the 109 patients, 45.9% had a history of baking in wood tenor ovens. Patients with uncontrolled asthma constituted the largest volume of the sample (60.6%). There was no significant correlation between baking in wood tenor ovens and asthma occurrence (P > 0.05). However, there was a significant correlation between baking in wood tenor ovens and asthma control (error coefficient < 0.10).  

Conclusions: According to the results, although the history of baking in wood tenor ovens has no effect on asthma occurrence, it has a correlation with asthma control status. Therefore, it is necessary to raise community awareness about the effect of baking on asthma control status.