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. 2019 Jan;76(1):17-21.
doi: 10.1136/oemed-2018-105337. Epub 2018 Nov 10.

Epidemiology of silicosis: reports from the SWORD scheme in the UK from 1996 to 2017

Christopher Michael Barber  1 , David Fishwick  1 , Melanie Carder  2 , Martie van Tongeren  2
Affiliations

Epidemiology of silicosis: reports from the SWORD scheme in the UK from 1996 to 2017

Christopher Michael Barber et al. Occup Environ Med. 2019 Jan.

Abstract

Objective: To document the demographic risk factors of workers reported to have silicosis in the UK.

Methods: All cases of silicosis reported to the Surveillance of Work-related and Occupational Respiratory Disease (SWORD) scheme between January 1996 and December 2017 were classified into one of eight industry categories, and one of five age groups. In addition, to investigate whether there had been any temporal change, mean age and range at diagnosis was plotted for each year. From 2006, data were also available relating to the date of onset of symptoms, allowing a comparison between workers with and without respiratory symptoms.

Results: For the period between 1996 and 2017, there were 216 cases of silicosis reported. The mean (range) age of those reported was 61 years (23-89), with the majority (98%) being male. Across all industries, 65% of cases were diagnosed in individuals of working age (<65 for men and <60 for women). Silicosis was reported in young workers across all industry groups, with around one in six of all silicosis cases affecting workers under the age of 46 years. There was no clear trend in age of diagnosis with time. Between 2006 and 2017, 81% of 108 workers with silicosis were reported to be symptomatic.

Conclusions: Silicosis remains an important health problem in the UK affecting workers of all ages across a wide range of industries traditionally associated with silica exposure.

Keywords: epidemiology; silicosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Actual and estimated number of silicosis cases reported to SWORD for each year between 1996 and 2017.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mean age in years at diagnosis (with age range shown by arrowheads) of silicosis cases reported to SWORD for each year between 1996 and 2017.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Workers with silicosis reported to the SWORD scheme between 1996 and 2017, separated by age group and industry.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Workers with symptomatic versus asymptomatic silicosis reported to the SWORD scheme between 2006 and 2017, separated by industry group.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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