Khaberni - A Norwegian study revealed that the use of cleaning materials could negatively impact lung health particularly in women, while the American Lung Association confirmed that lung functions slowly deteriorate after roughly the age of thirty-five.
An international study found that women who use cleaning materials regularly might experience a greater deterioration in lung functions over time. Researchers who prepared the study said that a woman, who uses cleaning products at least once a week, is more susceptible to lung deterioration than one who does not. Dr. Øystein Svanes from the University of Bergen in Norway, the research team leader, stated, "We clean our homes daily and weekly. It is important to have this discussion about cleaning and what we do in our homes." He added, "This does not mean we should not clean. We definitely need to clean our homes... However, we need to know about the chemicals we use and how they affect our health."
The researchers from the University of Bergen and their colleagues examined over 6,200 participants in a survey (Respiratory Health in the European Community). In 22 medical centers across nine countries in Western Europe, participants underwent lung function tests and answered questions in three surveys over 20 years. Participants were in their mid-thirties when they joined the study, nearly half of them were women. Eighty-five percent of women said they cleaned their homes themselves. While 8.9 percent of the female participants and 1.9 percent of the male participants were in cleaning professions.
On the other hand, the American Lung Association stated that lung functions gradually deteriorate roughly after the age of thirty-five.
Over two decades of the study, it was found that the deterioration of lung functions in women who did not work in cleaning, nor participated in cleaning their homes, was slower than others.
It also appeared that women who use cleaning materials through sprays and other cleaning products at least once a week were exposed to faster deterioration in lung functions. This deterioration was faster among women working in the cleaning profession. The study did not link exposure to cleaning products with deterioration of lung functions in men.
However, the researchers acknowledged that this might be due to the smaller number of men working in the cleaning profession in the study. Also, no connection was shown between the deterioration of lung functions and increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases such as asthma, and emphysema. However, the researchers said that the impact of exposure to cleaning products on cleaning workers was "somewhat less" than the effect of smoking a pack of cigarettes daily for 20 years.
