Objective To understand epidemiological characteristics of newly reported pneumoconiosis patients in Hunan Province from 2006 to 2010, and to provide a scientific basis for protective strategy against pneumoconiosis.
Methods Patients information registered to the Hunan pneumoconiosis direct reporting system in 2006-2010, including basic information, types of work, types of pneumoconiosis, exposure time, onset age, pneumoconiosis stages, were entered into an Excel 2007 database and analyzed. Statistical tests (LSD-t test and one-way variance analysis) were performed by SPSS 16.0 statistical software.
Results For stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ pneumoconiosis, the average exposure time was 16.9& #177;8.6, 16.3& #177;8.0, 17.7& #177;8.3 years respectively (F=7.764, P<0.05); the average onset age was 50.0& #177;9.7, 48.5& #177;8.3, and 51.1& #177;8.5 years, respectively (F=26.470, P<0.05). The incidence was mostly observed at the ages between 40 and 60, accounting for 73.41%. The youngest onset age was found in foundry workers' pneumoconiosis, 47.5& #177;8.8 years, the oldest was cement pneumoconiosis, 51.2& #177;10.5 years, the average onset age in various pneumoconiosis was 49.9& #177;9.4 years, and there were no significant differences in the onset ages among different types of work (F=0.714, P>0.05). The exposure time was mostly between 10 and 25 years, accounting for 60.19%, and the average of all cases studied was 16.8& #177;8.3 years; the shortest was silicosis, 13.9& #177;8.7 years, the longest was cement pneumoconiosis, 20.9& #177;7.5 years, and remarkable differences in the exposure time were found among different types of pneumoconiosis (F=69.798, P<0.05). Coal worker's pneumoconiosis accounted for 67.00% of all the cases.
Conclusion The 40-to 60-year-old workers with exposure times ranged from 10-25 years are the key population for pneumoconiosis prevention and occupational health surveillance.
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