Epidemiologic Characteristics Revealed with a Malignant Mesothelioma Surveillance System in Korea / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study estimated the magnitude of malignant mesothelioma and its epidemiologic features in Korea. We collected data on 160 cases for the 5-year period from 2001 to 2005. METHODS: We established a surveillance system for malignant mesothelioma in 2001. The important participants were pathologists, and respiratory and occupational physicians. We reclassified these cases according to the date of diagnosis and calculated fatality by comparing National Mortality Data. We actively surveyed 18 cases which were diagnosed in 2004 and 2005 to evaluate their work-relatedness. RESULTS: Among 160 cases, 18 were initially diagnosed before 1995, 57 from 1996 to 2000, 11 in 2001, 18 in 2002, 11 in 2003, 29 in 2004 and 16 in 2005. After 2001, 17cases were reported annually. Among the 86 cases which were diagnosed before 2003, 60 cases (69.8%) had died and 46(53.5%) had died within 1 year. Among the 18 cases which we surveyed, 5 were related with the construction industry, 2 with asbestos textile manufacturing industries and 1 with asbestos painting. There was no evident work relatedness in the other 10 cases, but 6 were related to environmental exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Although this surveillance system revealed the magnitude of malignant mesothelioma in Korea, it needs to be supplemented by an active surveillance system using death certificate data and cancer registry data etc.

Analysis of Claimed Cases as an Occupational Disease at Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency from 1992 to 1999 / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: Pneumoconisis and noise-induced hearing loss(NIHL) have been reported as main occupational diseases by the Special Health Examination. The Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance has reported various work-related diseases, however, these two diseases occupied almost a half of compensated cases. Therefore, it was not well known about the status of occupational diseases other than pneumoconiosis, NIHL, and cardiocerebrovascular accident(CVA). This study was conducted to analyze claimed cases as an occupational disease, that was requested to the Korea Industrial Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA). METHODS: The local office of the Korea Labor Welfare Corporation(KLWC) has asked the KOSHA for confirmation of claimed cases as an occupational disease. We analyzed 379 cases requested from KLWC, the Ministry of Labor, employers, unions and occupational health agencies from 1992 to 1999. RESULTS: Male was 80. 7 % of the requested cases. Their mean age was 42 years old and 75. 5 % of them were more than 35 years old. The requested cases were increased rapidly from 25 cases in 1992 to 108 cases in 1999 and the accept rate was 50. 7 %. The majority of requested cases were respiratory diseases(22.4 %), cancers(18.5 %), Neuropsychiatric problems (14. 5 %), and musculoskeletal problems (13. 5 %). The accept rate was high in reproductive, respiratory, musculoskeletal and digestive disorders and low in neuropsychiatric, renal and otologic problems and occupational cancers. 73. 6 % of them were caused by chemical agents, especially 28. 5 % were by organic solvents. 67 % of them were clinically confirmed at university hospitals. A half of the cases were from KyongIn area, even the request came from the whole country. CONCLUSIONS: A claim was common in workers whose age was over 35 years old and exposure history was over 10 years. The respiratory diseases and neuropsychiatric disorders were still main problems in occupational health and occupational cancers was increasing even though its accept rate was not high yet.