The occurrence of asbestos-related diseases among former employees of asbestos processing plants in Poland

This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license..

BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that asbestos is no longer used in production in Poland, there are still new cases of asbestos-related diseases among workers previously exposed to asbestos dust. This situation is related to the specificity of the biological activity of this mineral; the health consequences of asbestos can manifest not only during the exposure but also many years after exposure cessation. The aim of the analysis was to assess the occurrence of occupational diseases among people exposed to asbestos dust, who were examined under the Amiantus program.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research material consisted of the program cards filled by the doctors conducting the examinations as well as radiological images stored on the International Labour Organization form. The analysis covered 8049 people, including 37% of women surveyed in the years 2000-2017.

RESULTS: In the group of former employees of asbestos processing plants, the occupational disease was diagnosed in 1993 people (25%), including 584 women (19%). The most common was asbestosis (76% of occupational diseases) and pleural disease (17%). Malignant neoplasms accounted for 7% of all cases in this group. The analysis showed an increase in the incidence of respiratory system diseases along with the age of the surveyed persons, their seniority at asbestos processing plants and an increase in cumulative exposure. The chest radiographs revealed radiological changes among 75% of the examined cases, whereas the changes entitling to diagnose asbestosis, according to the criteria applicable in Poland, occurred in 23% of the workers. The adoption of international criteria would increase the incidence of asbestosis as an occupational disease by 19% in the study group.

CONCLUSIONS: The increase in the percentage of people with a diagnosed occupational disease provides evidence for the worsening health status of the former workers as well as a good detection of asbestos-related diseases among employees exposed to asbestos dust in the past. The results of the analysis indicate the need for undertaking a discussion in Poland on the implementation of international criteria for the diagnosis of asbestosis. Med Pr. 2019;70(6):723-31.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2019

Erschienen:

2019

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:70

Enthalten in:

Medycyna pracy - 70(2019), 6 vom: 03. Dez., Seite 723-731

Sprache:

Polnisch

Weiterer Titel:

Występowanie chorób azbestozależnych u byłych pracowników zakładów przetwórstwa azbestu w Polsce

Beteiligte Personen:

Świątkowska, Beata [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

1332-21-4
Amiantus program
Asbestos
Asbestosis
Journal Article
Mesothelioma
Occupational diseases
Occupational exposure

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 01.06.2020

Date Revised 01.06.2020

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.13075/mp.5893.00890

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM302865918