[Occupational lung cancer in Sør-Trøndelag county].

Background: Lung cancer can be caused by occupational exposure. This is not always recognised or reported, and not all patients receive the benefits to which they are entitled.

Material And Method: We collected occupational case histories for patients from Sør-Trøndelag county with a first-time diagnosis of lung cancer.

[Occupational asthma in Norway].

Background: Asthma is now the most frequent occupational lung disorder in Europe and North America. The condition is under-recognised, underestimated and poorly managed in Norway as well as internationally.

Material And Method: The paper is based on the author's work on occupational asthma over some years and on a search (restricted to authors with a Norwegian address) in PubMed and EMBASE in May 2007.

[High incidence of work-related disease among asthmatics on sick-leave].

Background: We have previously shown that work-related asthma is substantially underreported and usually not notified to the Labour Inspection Authority until it has become chronic and interferes with future work. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether conditions relating to individuals are important for the susceptibility to work-related asthma and to assess whether there is a correspondence between patients' and physicians' perception of the importance of exposure to work in relation to the disease.

Material And Methods: Questionnaires were sent to 824 workers (56% women) aged 18-55 years, who had been on sick leave > 16 days in the years 2000-2003.

Allergic contact dermatitis caused by epoxy resin systems in industrial painters.

A group of industrial painters employed in 6 companies of the Norwegian oil industry was followed to assess the incidence of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) caused by exposure to epoxy resin systems. The study lasted from 1 September 1997 to 31 August 2001 and included 2236 workers, contributing 5113 person years. Commercially available patch test series were supplemented with a special study series based on known or suspected sensitizers present at the workplaces.

Notified cases of occupational asthma in Norway: exposure and consequences for health and income.

Background: Estimates of occupational asthma (OA) may vary between countries and within countries. An overview of cases of occupational asthma in Norway has not been presented previously. Norwegian physicians are obliged to report occupational diseases to the Labor Inspection Authority.