Relationships of Lower Lung Fibrosis, Pleural Disease, and Lung Mass with Occupational, Household, Neighborhood, and Slate Roof-Dense Area Residential Asbestos Exposure

Dongmug Kang, Yu-Young Kim, Minseung Shin, Min-Su Lee, Hee-Joo Bae, Se-Yeong Kim and Young-Ki Kim
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Dongmug Kang: Preventive, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Korea
Yu-Young Kim: Premedical College, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Korea
Minseung Shin: Premedical College, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Korea
Min-Su Lee: Premedical College, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Korea
Hee-Joo Bae: Premedical College, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Korea
Se-Yeong Kim: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea
Young-Ki Kim: Preventive, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Korea

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 8, 1-10

Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between various asbestos exposure routes and asbestos-related disorders (ARDs). The study population comprised 11,186 residents of a metropolitan city who lived near asbestos factories, shipyards, or in slate roof-dense areas. ARDs were determined from chest X-rays indicating lower lung fibrosis (LFF), pleural disease (PD), and lung masses (LMs). Of the subjects, 11.2%, 10.4%, 67.2% and 8.3% were exposed to asbestos via occupational, household, neighborhood, and slate roof routes, respectively. The odds ratio (OR) of PD from household exposure (i.e., living with asbestos-producing workers) was 1.9 (95% confidence interval: 0.9–4.2), and those of LLF and PD from neighborhood exposure, or residing near asbestos factories) for <19 or >20 years, or near a mine, were 4.1 (2.8–5.8) and 4.8 (3.4–6.7), 8.3 (5.5–12.3) and 8.0 (5.5–11.6), and 4.8 (2.7–8.5) and 9.0 (5.6–14.4), respectively. The ORs of LLF, PD, and LM among those residing in slate-dense areas were 5.5 (3.3–9.0), 8.8 (5.6–13.8), and 20.5 (10.4–40.4), respectively. Substantial proportions of citizens residing in industrialized cities have potentially been exposed to asbestos, and various exposure routes are associated with the development of ARDs. Given the limitations of this study, including potential confounders such as socioeconomic status, further research is needed.

Keywords: asbestos; domestic; environmental; health impact survey; household; Korea; neighbor; roof; slate (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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