Abstract |
In Colombia, coal miner pneumoconiosis is considered a public health problem due to its irreversibility, high cost on diagnosis, and lack of data related to its prevalence in the country. Therefore, a cross-sectional study was carried out in order to determine the prevalence of pneumoconiosis in underground coal mining workers in two regions of Colombia. The results showed a 35.9% prevalence of pneumoconiosis in the study group (42.3% in region 1 and 29.9% in region 2). An association was found between a radiologic diagnosis of pneumoconiosis and a medium risk level of exposure to carbon dust (OR: 2.901, 95% CI: 0.937, 8.982), medium size companies (OR: 2.301, 95% CI: 1.260-4.201), length of mining work greater than 25 years (OR: 3.222, 95% CI: 1.806-5.748), and a history of smoking for more than one year (OR: 1.479, 95% CI: 0.938-2.334). These results establish the need to generate an intervention strategy aimed at preventing the identified factors, as well as a timely identification and effective treatment of pneumoconiosis in coal miners, in which the commitment of the General Health and Social Security System and the workers compensation system is ensured.
|
Authors | Carlos Humberto Torres Rey, Milciades Ibañez Pinilla, Leonardo Briceño Ayala, Diana Milena Checa Guerrero, Gloria Morgan Torres, Helena Groot de Restrepo, Marcela Varona Uribe |
Journal | BioMed research international
(Biomed Res Int)
Vol. 2015
Pg. 647878
( 2015)
ISSN: 2314-6141 [Electronic] United States |
PMID | 26366418
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
|
Chemical References |
|
Topics |
- Adult
- Coal
(adverse effects)
- Coal Mining
- Colombia
- Cross-Sectional Studies
(methods)
- Dust
- Humans
- Middle Aged
- Occupational Exposure
(adverse effects)
- Pneumoconiosis
(genetics)
- Prevalence
- Smoking
(adverse effects)
- Young Adult
|