ODOC Series: Occupational Asthma

Class description

Occupational Diseases Online Course (ODOC) Series:

Occupational Asthma

Participants will explore the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of occupational asthma, including its various forms—work-exacerbated, irritant-induced, and sensitizer-induced (allergic). The course helps learners to differentiate types of work-related asthma and their underlying mechanisms and identify common occupational exposures linked to allergic asthma. 

Learning Objectives

The objectives of the Asthma course are for learners to be able to:

• Distinguish between different types of work-related asthma, including work-exacerbated asthma, irritant-induced occupational asthma, and sensitizer-induced (allergic) occupational asthma.

• Provide examples of exposures that cause allergic occupational asthma.

• Distinguish pathological mechanisms between sensitizer-induced versus irritant-induced occupational asthma

• Evaluate work-related asthma, including by confirming the asthma diagnosis, interpreting diagnostic tests, and establishing work-relatedness.

• Manage patients with work-related asthma and make appropriate recommendations for work.

This interactive online course guides healthcare and public health professionals through real-world workplace scenarios to deepen their understanding of work-related asthma. Designed for physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, case managers, and public health professionals, this course offers practical, evidence-based insights to support better patient outcomes in occupational health.

On-demand online module available NOW through 6/30/2027

Featured instructor:

Coralynn Sack, MD, MPH
Associate Professor, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS); Associate Professor, Medicine, University of Washington (UW)

Dr. Coralynn Sack is a physician-scientist with clinical and research expertise in environmental and occupational lung disease. She received her MD from the University of Buffalo and MPH in epidemiology from the UW. She is board-certified in internal medicine, pulmonology, critical care, and occupational medicine. Her research activities integrate translational experimental design and epidemiologic studies to characterize environmental exposures, explore disease mechanisms, and investigate health outcomes. Current research interests include the health effects of air pollution, occupational exposures in cannabis workers, and the environmental causes of interstitial lung disease.

Contributing instructors:

June Spector, MD, MPH
Research Associate Professor, UW DEOHS

Occupational Research Physician, Department of Labor & Industries

Nancy J. Simcox, MS
Assistant Teaching Professor & Director, Continuing Education Program, UW DEOHS

Continuing Education/Certificate of Completion

A completion certificate for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be available pending course participation. Due to funding changes, UW DEOHS CE is no longer offering CME and CNE.

Registration

The Asthma online course is available on-demand now through June 30, 2027.

Once your registration is processed, you will be emailed a web link and instructions to participate in the course.