After excluding alternative explanations, a silicosis diagnosis is based on the combination of appropriate silica exposure history and compatible clinical, radiological and occasionally pathological findings. Not taking appropriate occupational history by a physician may cause a misdiagnosis or underdiagnosis of silicosis. Herein, we present a female worker in a small-scale sandblasting factory who worked as a controller. Her silicosis diagnosis was established 10 years after her first symptoms, and she underwent invasive procedures due to a lack of inquiry about her occupational history. Gender bias may be one of the reasons that her occupational history was not taken.
Keywords: Female; gender bias; silicosis; underdiagnosis.
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