Teachers have a higher risk of developing autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis. Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system attacks the body itself, in which one's own tissues are subjected to harmful effects instead of foreign organisms or material. In case of rheumatoid arthritis the immune system attacks the joints, causing stiffness and limitation of joint movements. Multiple sclerosis attacks parts of the nervous system resulting in abnormal hardening of the tissues in the brain and spinal cord, leading to symptoms like vision loss, speech disorders and bladder abnormalities.
The researchers at the University of Connecticut followed the death certificates for a time period of 11 years. They studied the death certificates of more than 143,000 people who had been elementary and secondary school teachers and 717,000 people in other professions. They examined the death certificates for autoimmune diseases as a cause of death.
Among teachers, 2.3 % of the death certificates reported autoimmune disease as the main cause of death, compared with only 1.7% in other professions. The results suggest that early in their careers, teachers experience an occupational exposure that increases the risk of autoimmune disease. However the exact link between teachers and the increased risk of autoimmune disorders is still to be established.
Journal of Rheumatology; Aug 2001, Vol. 28 : (8)