Estimates and Predictions of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis Cases among Redeployed Coal Workers of the Fuxin Mining Industry Group in China: A Historical Cohort Study

PLoS One. 2016 Feb 4;11(2):e0148179. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148179. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

This research was aimed at estimating possible Coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) cases as of 2012, and predicting future CWP cases among redeployed coal workers from the Fuxin Mining Industry Group. This study provided the scientific basis for regulations on CWP screening and diagnosis and labor insurance policies for redeployed coal workers of resource-exhausted mines. The study cohort included 19,116 coal workers. The cumulative incidence of CWP was calculated by the life-table method. Possible CWP cases by occupational category were estimated through the average annual incidence rate of CWP and males' life expectancy. It was estimated that 141 redeployed coal workers might have suffered from CWP as of 2012, and 221 redeployed coal workers could suffer from CWP in the future. It is crucial to establish a set of feasible and affordable regulations on CWP screening and diagnosis as well as labor insurance policies for redeployed coal workers of resource-exhausted coal mines in China.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anthracosis / epidemiology*
  • China / epidemiology
  • Coal / adverse effects*
  • Coal Industry / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Coal Mining / statistics & numerical data*
  • Coal Mining / trends*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Dust*
  • Humans
  • Life Expectancy
  • Life Tables
  • Male
  • Occupational Exposure

Substances

  • Coal
  • Dust

Grants and funding

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 71073176) to HL; the Program for Liaoning Innovative Research Team in University (no. LT2015028) to Jie Chen; and the General Program of Scientific Research of the Educational Department of Liaoning Province (no. L2015573) to Bing Han. None of the funders had any role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.