Authors
Kuempel-ED; Stayner-LT; Attfield-MD; Buncher-CR
Source
Am J Ind Med 1995 Aug; 28(2):167-184
Abstract
A study was conducted to examine the association between exposure to respirable coal mine dust and mortality, especially from nonmalignant respiratory diseases, among United States (US) coal miners, as well as to investigate the effects of exposure intensity and duration and the effect of coal rank to mortality risk. The cohort involved 8,878 male coal miners from 31 mines across the US. Mortality associated with exposure for underlying or contributing causes of death and modified life table methods for underlying causes was assessed using Cox proportional hazards modeling. Significant exposure response relationships were found for cumulative exposure to respirable coal mine dust and mortality either from pneumoconiosis or from chronic bronchitis or emphysema as underlying and contributing causes of death. Miners exposed for a working lifetime at or below the current US standard of 2mg/m3 for respirable coal mine dust were at increased risk of mortality from these causes. Both the coal rank (anthracite) of the dust to which miners were exposed and the radiographic category of pneumoconiosis at the start of follow up, including simple coal workers pneumoconiosis category-I, were significant predictors of mortality from pneumoconiosis.
Keywords
NIOSH-Author; Coal-mining; Mining-industry; Coal-dust; Mortality-data; Epidemiology; Occupational-exposure; Statistical-analysis; Respiratory-system-disorders; Mortality-rates
Document Type
Journal Article
Priority Area
Respiratory-system-disorders
Source Name
American Journal of Industrial Medicine