RT Journal
A1 Valiante DJ, Rosenman KD
T1 DOes silicosis still occur?
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 1989
FD December 1
VO 262
IS 21
SP 3003
OP 3007
DO 10.1001/jama.1989.03430210045027
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1989.03430210045027
AB A state-based surveillance system has identified 401 individuals with the diagnosis of silicosis for the years 1979 through 1987. The individuals identified were generally older men who began work before 1960 and had worked for 15 years or more in potteries, construction, foundries, or sand mines. Follow-up inspections at the identified companies indicated ongoing poorly controlled exposure to silica. Difficulties in distinguishing coal worker's pneumoconiosis from silicosis and inadequate attention to tuberculosis by the treating physicians were noted. Few workers applied for workers' compensation. Extrapolation of our results to the whole country suggests that the current national surveillance system for occupational illnesses markedly underestimates the true occurrence of silicosis.(JAMA. 1989;262:3003-3007)