Pneumoconioses are preventable occupational lung diseases caused by inhaling dust
particles such as coal dust or different types of mineral dusts (
1
). To assess recent trends in deaths associated with pneumoconiosis, CDC analyzed
multiple cause-of-death data*
,
†
for decedents aged ≥15 years for the years 1999–2018, and industry and occupation
data collected from 26 states
§
for the years 1999, 2003, 2004, and 2007–2013. During 1999–2018, pneumoconiosis deaths
decreased by 40.4%, with the exception of pneumoconiosis attributed to other inorganic
dusts (e.g., aluminum, bauxite, beryllium, iron, and tin oxide), which increased significantly
(p-value for time trend <0.05). The largest observed decreases in pneumoconiosis deaths
were for those associated with coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (69.6%) and silicosis
(53.0%). Asbestosis was the most frequently reported pneumoconiosis and was associated
with working in the construction industry. The ongoing occurrence of deaths associated
with pneumoconiosis underscores the importance of occupational dust exposure reduction,
early case detection, and continued surveillance to monitor trends.
The CDC National Vital Statistics System’s multiple cause-of-death data for 1999–2018
were analyzed for decedents aged ≥15 years. For this analysis, decedents were identified
using death certificates listing pneumoconiosis as the underlying
¶
or contributing cause of death and included deaths with the following International
Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes: J60 (coal workers’ pneumoconiosis),
J61 (pneumoconiosis due to asbestos and other mineral fibers, [asbestosis]), J62 (pneumoconiosis
due to dust containing silica, [silicosis]), J63 (pneumoconiosis due to other inorganic
dust [applies to berylliosis, a disease caused by exposure to beryllium; pulmonary
siderosis, a disease most common in workers exposed to metal fumes during welding;
and other diseases]), J64 (unspecified pneumoconiosis), J65 (pneumoconiosis associated
with tuberculosis), and J66 (airway disease due to specific organic dust [applies
to byssinosis, a disease caused by prolonged inhalation of textile fiber dust]). Death
rates per 1 million population were age-adjusted by applying age-specific death rates
to the 2000 U.S. Census standard population.** Industry and occupation data were available
from 26 states for 1999, 2003, 2004, and 2007–2013 and coded
††
in accordance with the U.S. Census 2000 Industry and Occupation Classification System.
§§
Cause-of-death data from the 26 states were compiled using CDC’s National Occupational
Respiratory Mortality Surveillance system.
¶¶
Data were processed using SAS software (version 9.4; SAS Institute), and Joinpoint
regression software (version 4.8.0.1; National Cancer Institute) was used to analyze
time trends in deaths and log transformed death rates.
During 1999–2018, a total of 43,366 decedents aged ≥15 years had pneumoconiosis listed
on their death certificates, including 17,578 (40.5%) for whom pneumoconiosis was
the underlying cause of death. Among all pneumoconiosis decedents, 17,797 (41.0%)
were aged 75–84 years, and nearly all were male (41,777; 96.3%), white (41,029; 94.6%),
and non-Hispanic (42,339; 97.6%). Asbestosis was associated with approximately three
fifths of the deaths (26,059; 60.1%), followed by coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (11,203;
25.8%), and unspecified pneumoconiosis (3,409; 7.9%) (Table 1).
TABLE 1
Pneumoconiosis mortality time trends among decedents aged ≥15 years, by disease* and
year — United States, 1999–2018
Year
No. of deaths (rate)†
Total
Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis
Asbestosis
Silicosis
Pneumoconiosis attributed to other inorganic dusts
Unspecified pneumoconiosis
Pneumoconiosis associated with tuberculosis
Airway disease attributed to specific organic dust
1999
2,738 (12.8)
1,002 (4.7)
1,258 (5.8)
185 (0.9)
12 (—)§
284 (1.3)
5 (—)
7 (—)
2000
2,859 (13.2)
949 (4.4)
1,486 (6.8)
151 (0.7)
10 (—)
263 (1.2)
7 (—)
10 (—)
2001
2,743 (12.4)
886 (4.0)
1,449 (6.6)
163 (0.7)
10 (—)
233 (1.1)
7 (—)
10 (—)
2002
2,715 (12.2)
858 (3.8)
1,467 (6.6)
146 (0.6)
22 (0.1)
226 (1.0)
6 (—)
9 (—)
2003
2,635 (11.6)
772 (3.4)
1,464 (6.5)
177 (0.8)
12 (—)
210 (0.9)
6 (—)
8 (—)
2004
2,524 (11.0)
703 (3.1)
1,460 (6.4)
165 (0.7)
16 (—)
185 (0.8)
5 (—)
8 (—)
2005
2,425¶ (10.4)
652 (2.8)
1,416 (6.1)
160 (0.7)
19 (—)
189 (0.8)
7 (—)
7 (—)
2006
2,308 (9.7)
654 (2.8)
1,340 (5.7)
126 (0.5)
23 (0.1)
176 (0.7)
0 (—)
7 (—)
2007
2,189 (9.1)
524 (2.2)
1,393 (5.8)
122 (0.5)
9 (—)
144 (0.6)
5 (—)
5 (—)
2008
2,155 (8.8)
470 (1.9)
1,341 (5.5)
146 (0.6)
18 (—)
191 (0.8)
4 (—)
2 (—)
2009
1,993 (8.0)
480 (1.9)
1,255 (5.1)
121 (0.5)
15 (—)
140 (0.5)
2 (—)
1 (—)
2010
2,028 (8.0)
486 (1.9)
1,308 (5.2)
101 (0.4)
12 (—)
131 (0.5)
2 (—)
1 (—)
2011
1,890 (7.2)
409 (1.6)
1,243 (4.8)
88 (0.3)
17 (—)
140 (0.5)
4 (—)
5 (—)
2012
1,850 (6.8)
399 (1.4)
1,208 (4.5)
103 (0.4)
14 (—)
136 (0.5)
1 (—)
2 (—)
2013
1,859 (6.8)
361 (1.3)
1,229 (4.5)
111 (0.4)
22 (0.1)
145 (0.5)
2 (—)
1 (—)
2014
1,790 (6.4)
363 (1.3)
1,218 (4.4)
84 (0.3)
17 (—)
115 (0.4)
0 (—)
2 (—)
2015
1,735 (6.0)
323 (1.1)
1,188 (4.1)
105 (0.4)
25 (0.1)
107 (0.4)
2 (—)
2 (—)
2016
1,662 (5.6)
300 (1.0)
1,142 (3.9)
73 (0.2)
16 (—)
140 (0.4)
2 (—)
3 (—)
2017
1,636 (5.4)
307 (1.0)
1,102 (3.7)
98 (0.3)
17 (—)
118 (0.4)
1 (—)
5 (—)
2018
1,632 (5.3)
305 (1.0)
1,092 (3.5)
87 (0.3)
25 (0.1)
136 (0.4)
2 (—)
2 (—)
Total
43,366** (8.6)
11,203 (2.2)
26,059 (5.2)
2,512 (0.5)
331 (0.1)
3,409 (0.7)
70 (0.0)
95 (0.0)
Time trends
Slope††
1999–2002 = −19.96
1999–2008 = −58.29§§
1999–2001 = 102.49§§
1999–2018 = −5.04§§
1999–2018 = 0.43§§
1999–2007 = −15.13§§
1999–2018 = −0.18§§
1999–2009 = −0.96§§
2002–2009 = −102.51§§
2008–2018 = −20.63§§
2001–2018 = −23.90§§
2007–2018 = −3.09§§
2009–2018 = 0.13
2009–2018 = −45.83§§
APC¶¶
1999–2001 = −0.88
1999–2018 = −8.56§§
1999–2002 = 4.02
N/A***
N/A***
N/A***
N/A***
N/A***
2002–2018 = −5.22§§
2001–2018 = −3.94§§
Source: CDC WONDER multiple cause-of-death data. https://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd.html.
Abbreviations: APC = annual percent change; N/A = not available.
* International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes: J60 (coal workers’
pneumoconiosis), J61 (pneumoconiosis due to asbestos and other mineral fibers, [asbestosis]),
J62 (pneumoconiosis due to dust containing silica, [silicosis]), J63 (pneumoconiosis
due to other inorganic dusts]), J64 (unspecified pneumoconiosis), J65 (pneumoconiosis
associated with tuberculosis), and J66 (airway diseases due to specific organic dust).
† Death rates per 1 million population were age-adjusted by applying age-specific
death rates to the 2000 U.S. Census standard population.
§ Dashes indicate unreliable death rates because there were fewer than 20 deaths per
year.
¶ Data were compiled using CDC WONDER’s record axis methodology, which differs from
Healthy People 2020’s entity axis methodology. Healthy People 2020’s baseline total
is 2,430. https://www.healthypeople.gov/node/5046/data_details.
** The sum of decedents is less than sum of disease-associated deaths because some
decedents have more than one type of pneumoconiosis listed on their death certificate.
†† Calculated using death counts; the slope characterizes the direction of the disease
trend (negative slope indicates decrease in deaths over time).
§§ p<0.05.
¶¶ Calculated using age-adjusted death rates.
*** APCs could not be calculated because of unreliable death rates or insufficient
data to determine standard error.
During 1999–2018, the overall annual number of pneumoconiosis deaths decreased 40.4%;
a significant decline began in 2002 (2,715 deaths) through 2018 (1,632) (p-value for
time trend <0.05). Age-adjusted death rates (deaths per 1 million population) decreased
from 12.8 in 1999 to 5.3 in 2018 (annual percent change = −0.88% during 1999–2001
and −5.22% during 2002–2018 [p-value for 2002–2018 time trend <0.05]).
Deaths decreased for all types of pneumoconiosis during the period studied, with the
exception of those attributed to other inorganic dusts, which increased significantly
from 12 deaths in 1999 to 25 in 2018 (108.3%; p<0.05). However, none of the distinct
disease categories in this group increased significantly. The largest decreases over
time were for deaths associated with coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (69.6%), from 1,002
in 1999 to 305 in 2018 (p-value for time trend <0.05), and silicosis (53.0%), from
185 in 1999 to 87 in 2018 (p-value for 2018 time trend <0.05]) (Table 1).
Age-adjusted death rates varied across geographic locations for each pneumoconiosis
type (Table 2). The highest age-adjusted death rates for the 20-year period were in
West Virginia for coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (59.8 per million population), Montana
for asbestosis (20.0), Vermont for silicosis (2.3), and West Virginia for unspecified
pneumoconiosis (24.1).
TABLE 2
Number of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, asbestosis, silicosis, and unspecified pneumoconiosis-associated
deaths* and age-adjusted death rates
†
among persons aged ≥15 years, by state — United States, 1999–2018
State
No. of deaths (rate)
†
Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis
Asbestosis
Silicosis
Unspecified
Alabama
120 (1.5)
818 (10.2)
41 (0.5)
51 (0.7)
Alaska
—§
39 (7.2)
—§
—§
Arizona
43 (0.4)
337 (3.2)
68 (0.6)
30 (0.3)
Arkansas
37 (0.7)
249 (4.8)
20 (0.4)
—§
California
155 (0.3)
1,844 (3.4)
105 (0.2)
48 (0.1)
Colorado
111 (1.6)
270 (4.1)
119 (1.8)
115 (1.7)
Connecticut
—§
327 (4.9)
13 (—)¶
—§
Delaware
—§
218 (14.2)
—§
—§
District of Columbia
—§
—§
—§
—§
Florida
184 (0.5)
1,667 (4.0)
68 (0.2)
49 (0.1)
Georgia
31 (0.3)
308 (2.5)
39 (0.3)
22 (0.2)
Hawaii
—§
56 (2.2)
—§
—§
Idaho
—§
177 (7.6)
27 (1.1)
11 (—)¶
Illinois
234 (1.1)
435 (2.1)
65 (0.3)
59 (0.3)
Indiana
133 (1.3)
216 (2.1)
53 (0.5)
35 (0.3)
Iowa
31 (0.5)
153 (2.6)
16 (—)¶
10 (—)¶
Kansas
12 (—)¶
134 (2.7)
11 (—)¶
—§
Kentucky
1,596 (22.1)
246 (3.5)
57 (0.8)
350 (4.9)
Louisiana
47 (0.7)
515 (7.4)
39 (0.5)
—§
Maine
—§
287 (10.8)
—§
—§
Maryland
34 (0.4)
728 (8.2)
26 (0.3)
23 (0.3)
Massachusetts
—§
641 (5.3)
19 (—)¶
—§
Michigan
79 (0.5)
687 (4.0)
80 (0.5)
35 (0.2)
Minnesota
13 (—)¶
502 (5.6)
59 (0.7)
—§
Mississippi
245 (5.3)
666 (14.0)
30 (0.6)
—§
Missouri
25 (0.2)
258 (2.5)
41 (0.4)
10 (—)¶
Montana
—§
363 (20.0)
19 (—)¶
—§
Nebraska
—§
102 (3.2)
—§
—§
Nevada
16 (—)¶
132 (3.7)
27 (0.7)
15 (—)¶
New Hampshire
—§
125 (5.6)
10 (—)¶
—§
New Jersey
34 (0.2)
1,318 (8.6)
40 (0.3)
30 (0.2)
New Mexico
75 (2.4)
96 (3.0)
51 (1.6)
113 (3.5)
New York
52 (0.2)
1,178 (3.5)
119 (0.4)
56 (0.2)
North Carolina
112 (0.7)
862 (5.8)
76 (0.5)
35 (0.2)
North Dakota
—§
56 (4.3)
—§
—§
Ohio
366 (1.8)
1045 (5.1)
204 (1.0)
139 (0.7)
Oklahoma
40 (0.7)
206 (3.3)
28 (0.4)
13 (—)¶
Oregon
—§
597 (8.8)
36 (0.5)
—§
Pennsylvania
3,258 (12.3)
1,553 (6.0)
268 (1.1)
636 (2.4)
Rhode Island
—§
122 (5.9)
14 (—)¶
—§
South Carolina
41 (0.5)
536 (7.2)
39 (0.5)
—§
South Dakota
—§
29 (1.8)
15 (—)¶
—§
Tennessee
273 (2.7)
515 (5.1)
52 (0.5)
59 (0.6)
Texas
107 (0.3)
2,106 (6.7)
157 (0.4)
52 (0.1)
Utah
89 (2.9)
112 (3.8)
45 (1.5)
63 (2.1)
Vermont
—§
61 (5.5)
27 (2.3)
—§
Virginia
1,300 (10.8)
894 (7.5)
44 (0.4)
326 (2.7)
Washington
19 (—)¶
1,322 (12.8)
36 (0.3)
12 (—)¶
West Virginia
2,191 (59.8)
516 (14.1)
58 (1.5)
887 (24.1)
Wisconsin
22 (0.2)
382 (3.8)
116 (1.2)
14 (—)¶
Wyoming
28 (3.3)
45 (5.3)
—§
35 (4.2)
Source: CDC WONDER multiple cause-of-death data. https://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd.html.
* Pneumoconiosis deaths attributed to other organic dusts or specific organic dust
or associated with tuberculosis are not displayed because the numbers of cases were
fewer than10 for each state.
†
Death rates per 1 million population were age-adjusted by applying age-specific death
rates to the 2000 U.S. Census standard population.
§ Suppressed because there were fewer than 10 decedents.
¶ Unreliable death rates because there were fewer than 20 deaths per state.
Industry and occupation data were available for 6,223 (96.7%) of 6,436 pneumoconiosis-associated
deaths among persons aged ≥15 years from 26 states during 1999, 2003, 2004, and 2007–2013
(Table 3). Whereas the highest number of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis–associated deaths
occurred among workers in the coal mining industry (1,331; 74.2%), and among mining
machine operators (1,203; 65.0%), the highest number of asbestosis-associated deaths
occurred among workers in the construction industry (820; 25.0%) and among pipe layers,
plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (264; 8.0%). The highest number of silicosis-associated
deaths occurred among workers in the construction industry (63; 18.9%) and among mining
machine operators (41; 12.3%).
TABLE 3
Top three industries and occupations associated with pneumoconiosis* deaths among
persons aged ≥15 years, by diseaseꝉ — 26 states,
§
1999, 2003, 2004, and 2007–2013
Disease
Characteristic
No. (%)¶ of deaths
Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (n = 1,838)
Industry
Coal mining
1,331 (74.2)
Construction
75 (4.1)
Nonpaid worker
52 (2.8)
Occupation
Mining machine operators
1,203 (65.0)
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers
43 (2.3)
Homemakers
41 (2.2)
Asbestosis (n = 3,284)
Industry
Construction
820 (25.0)
Industrial/Miscellaneous chemicals
162 (5.0)
Not specified manufacturing industries
148 (4.5)
Occupation
Pipe layers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
264 (8.0)
Electricians
145 (4.4)
Carpenters
110 (3.4)
Silicosis (n = 333)
Industry
Construction
63 (18.9)
Coal mining
25 (7.5)
Foundries
19 (5.7)
Occupation
Mining machine operators
41 (12.3)
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers
21 (6.3)
Construction laborers
14 (4.2)
Unspecified pneumoconiosis (n = 792)
Industry
Coal mining
508 (64.1)
Metal ore mining
34 (4.3)
Construction
32 (4.0)
Occupation
Mining machine operators
485 (61.2)
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers
17 (2.1)
Electricians
15 (1.9)
Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC. https://webappa.cdc.gov/ords/norms-io2000.html.
* Excludes the following International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision
codes because five or fewer deaths occurred in available industries or occupations:
J63 (pneumoconiosis due to other inorganic dusts), J65 (pneumoconiosis associated
with tuberculosis), and J66 (airway diseases due to specific organic dust).
†
International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes: J60 (coal workers’
pneumoconiosis), J61 (pneumoconiosis due to asbestos and other mineral fibers, [asbestosis]),
J62 (pneumoconiosis due to dust containing silica, [silicosis]), J64 (unspecified
pneumoconiosis), J65 (pneumoconiosis associated with tuberculosis), and J66 (airway
diseases due to specific organic dust [including byssinosis]).
§ Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina,
North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington,
West Virginia, and Wisconsin. States are where the death took place, not necessarily
where the decedent had resided. Data were compiled using CDC’s National Occupational
Respiratory Mortality Surveillance (NORMS) system. https://wonder.cdc.gov/wonder/help/mcd.html#Location.
¶ Percentage of total deaths associated with specific disease.
Discussion
CDC previously examined pneumoconiosis mortality for 1968–2000 and reported decreases
in death trends in all pneumoconioses with the exception of asbestosis, for which
an increase was observed (
2
). In this report, the annual number of deaths associated with pneumoconiosis have
continued to decline during 1999–2018 for all pneumoconioses with the exception of
pneumoconiosis attributed to other inorganic dusts, which increased. In this category,
berylliosis and siderosis were the most frequently reported diseases; however, there
was no evidence of a change in death rates attributed to these conditions.
Each decade, the Healthy People Initiative develops new goals and objectives to improve
the health of all Americans. The Healthy People 2020 Occupational Safety and Health
Objective 4 set the goal of reducing pneumoconiosis deaths by 10% from the baseline
of 2,430 deaths in 2005 to 2,187 deaths in 2020 (
3
). Results of this study indicate that the total number of pneumoconiosis deaths in
2018 was 1,632, a 32.8% decline from the baseline. If this trend continues, the goal
will likely be surpassed in 2020.
The decline in overall pneumoconiosis mortality primarily reflects the decrease in
coal workers’ pneumoconiosis and silicosis deaths, which together accounted for nearly
one third (31.6%) of all pneumoconiosis-associated deaths reported during 1999–2018.
The decline in coal workers’ pneumoconiosis–associated deaths likely reflects the
reduction in the coal mining industry workforce (from 108,224 in 1999 to 98,505 in
2015)*** and legislative actions. For example, the 1969 Federal Coal Mine Health and
Safety Act
†††
required federal inspections of all coal mines, created enforceable safety measures,
and added health protections and federal benefits for coal workers’ pneumoconiosis.
Several other historical statutes
§§§
have been enacted to improve miner safety and decrease disease mortality. Most recently,
the 2014 final rule
¶¶¶
of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) standard on respirable coal mine
dust lowered existing exposure limits from 2.0 mg of dust per cubic meter of air (mg/m3)
to 1.5 mg/m3 at underground and surface coal mines, expanded medical monitoring for
coal mine dust lung diseases, and made changes in dust monitoring systems to include
the use of continuous personal dust monitors. Because of the long latency of coal
workers’ pneumoconiosis, this new rule likely did not contribute to any decreases
in mortality; however, adherence to this rule is expected to foster continued disease
mortality reduction.
The decline in silicosis-associated deaths likely reflects the enactment of national
compliance standards for silica dust exposure in 1971, implementation of disease prevention
initiatives, and changes in industrial activity (
4
). The early standards, however, did not include measures such as medical surveillance
requirements or employer and employee training about silica hazards. In 2016, the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a final rule,**** for
crystalline silica, lowering the permissible exposure limit to 50 μg/m3 of air in
all industries covered by the rule and included requirements to further protect employees
(e.g., including exposure control, respiratory protection, hazard communication, medical
surveillance, and recordkeeping). The rule also issued two separate standards, one
for general industry and maritime and the other for construction, to tailor requirements
to the respective industries’ hazards.
Asbestosis continues to be the most frequently reported cause of pneumoconiosis mortality,
accounting for 60.1% of all pneumoconiosis deaths during 1999–2018. The number of
annual asbestosis-associated deaths began to decline in 2001. This ongoing decrease
likely reflects the cessation of asbestos mining, discontinued manufacturing of asbestos-containing
products in the United States,
††††
adoption of standards intended to control emissions of asbestos into the environment
(
5
), and adoption of lower permissible exposure limits (
6
). In 1971, OSHA established a permissible exposure limit for asbestos at 12.0 fibers
per cubic centimeter (f/cc) of air as an 8-hour time-weighted average. This initial
permissible exposure limit was subsequently reduced to 5.0 f/cc in 1972, to 2.0 f/cc
in 1976, to 0.2 f/cc in 1986, and to 0.1 f/cc in 1994.
Despite the decline in mortality and updated regulatory actions addressing occupational
exposures to hazardous dusts, pneumoconiosis-associated deaths continue to occur,
underscoring the need for maintaining exposure prevention measures and continued surveillance.
Recent reports indicate the re-emergence of progressive massive fibrosis (the most
severe form of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis) (
7
), new tasks and occupations (e.g., quartz countertop installation and hydraulic fracturing)
that put workers at an increased risk for silicosis (
8
), continued importation of asbestos-containing materials for domestic consumption,
and an increase in prevalence of other asbestos-associated diseases (e.g., malignant
mesothelioma) (
9
). In addition, a 2019 significant new use rule
§§§§
for asbestos, promulgated to ensure that any discontinued uses of asbestos cannot
re-enter the marketplace without Environmental Protection Agency review, still permits
importation of asbestos into the United States; use of asbestos in gaskets, brakes,
and chemical manufacturing; and asbestos mining.
The findings in this report are subject to at least five limitations. First, death
records were not validated by medical records; therefore, results might be subject
to misclassification. Second, some silicosis-associated deaths might not be work-related.
For example, pneumoconiosis attributable to talc dust (ICD-10 code J62.0) in some
decedents has been associated with use of illicit drugs (
10
); however, these pneumoconiosis-associated deaths were considered in this study to
maintain comparability with previous studies and the Healthy People 2020 methods.
Third, the industries and occupations represent the usual
¶¶¶¶
industries and occupations entered on each death certificate, which might not be the
industry and occupation in which the decedent’s exposure occurred. Fourth, the age-adjusted
mortality rates might not correctly project disease frequency. The rates were calculated
using data on the general population that might include those who are not at an occupational
risk for developing the disease. Finally, because of small death counts, trends in
pneumoconiosis attributable to other inorganic dusts could not be evaluated by distinct
disease categories.
The decrease in pneumoconiosis-associated deaths during 1999–2018 indicates that prevention
strategies are effective. The findings underscore the importance of maintaining primary
prevention strategies to reduce exposures to respirable dusts, secondary prevention
through early disease detection, and surveillance to monitor trends over time, in
particular focusing on pneumoconiosis attributable to other inorganic dusts. Prevention
strategies are available at the websites of OSHA (https://www.osha.gov/), MSHA (https://www.msha.gov/
), and CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/index.htm).
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Pneumoconioses are a group of occupational lung diseases caused by inhaling organic
dust and inorganic mineral dust particles. From 1968 to 2000, death rates for all
pneumoconioses decreased with the exception of those for asbestosis. Although preventable,
deaths continue to occur.
What is added by this report?
Pneumoconiosis deaths decreased from 2,738 deaths in 1999 to 1,632 in 2018, and age-adjusted
death rates decreased from 12.8 to 5.3 per million population. All pneumoconioses
decreased with the exception of pneumoconiosis attributed to other inorganic dusts.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Pneumoconiosis-associated deaths continue to occur, underscoring the importance of
occupational dust exposure reduction, early case detection, and continued surveillance
to monitor trends, with an increased focus on pneumoconiosis attributable to other
inorganic dusts.