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Published, Version of Record (VoR)CC BY V4.0, Open
Journal article
Prevalence of Asbestos-Related Disease Among Workers in Sri Lanka
Annals of global health, v 85(1)
15 Jul 2019
PMID: 31322844
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Asbestos products are manufactured and used in Sri Lanka in the construction and automobile industries.
To determine radiologically if exposure to asbestos caused lung disease among workers handling asbestos products, and to generate data in Sri Lanka where no such data exist due to poor reporting and a poor surveillance system.
Following ethics approval and written consent plain chest X-rays and exposure data were obtained in 230 workers in asbestos manufacturing, building construction, building demolition, tsunami debris cleanup, and other trades. The assumption was that all exposed workers were exposed to chrysotile. Participants were from provinces with asbestos factories, and where tsunami cleanup had occurred.
Radiological findings of the 230 participants showed lung fibrosis in 7% (16 cases), and other non-asbestos-related lung conditions. Of the 16 fibrosis cases, none were in manufacturing workers, one in a construction worker, six in tsunami workers, six in demolition workers, and three cases in others. Globally, Sri Lanka has one of the highest consumptions of chrysotile asbestos per capita. This first known study documenting asbestos disease in Sri Lanka is clearly a limited, self-selected group of workers studied with obvious limitations. The prevalence of asbestos-related lung disease among tsunami and demolition worker indicates that a risk exists for asbestos material already in use in Sri Lanka. Hence a significant concern is the safety of asbestos demolition workers and cleanup workers exposed to asbestos debris from major natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornados, typhoons, and tsunamis.
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Details
- Title
- Prevalence of Asbestos-Related Disease Among Workers in Sri Lanka
- Creators
- B Aseni Wickramatillake - University of Mortuwa; University of TechnologyMenaka A Fernando - No Affiliation, LK.Arthur L Frank - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- Annals of global health, v 85(1)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Environmental and Occupational Health
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000482723700105
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85070110737
- Other Identifier
- 991019168060004721
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- Collaboration types
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health