Pneumoconioses diagnosed at the National Chest Hospital, characteristics of patients and their environment, 1980-1989

The primary focus of the study is the prevalence of pneumoconioses diagnosed at the National Chest Hospital during the decade 1980-1989, with a view to determining the characteristics of the patients and the characteristics of the environment to which patients had been exposed. It is hoped that the finding will give a general picture of the status of the disease in Jamaica. The methodology used for data collection was primarily the perusal of dockets at the hospital. A total of thirty cases were diagnosed over the decade representing four disease in the category namely, pulmonary fibrosis, asbestosis, anthracosis and silicosis. Owing to the rarity of the diseases and consequently the few cases diagnosed over the period the data did not lend itself to certain statistical analyses. The cases diagnosed were more frequent among males in the older age groups. Most cases were also from Kingston due to the fact that it is the primary urban centre in Jamaica. Based on occupation, it was easy to fathom why some persons were diseased. (AU)

Racial, occupational, and environmental factors in relation to emphysema in Jamaica

A postmortem study of the lungs of native Jamaicans has showed little differences in frequency or severity of panacinar emphysema between Negro, Chinese, East Indians, and white racial groups. However centrilobular emphysema and simple dust pneumoconiosis occurred more frequently in East Indians, and less frequently in Chinese, than in Negro and white persons. The difference was statistically significant. No differences were detected between workers in different occupations although women showed significantly less emphysema. No differences were detected between rural and urban dwellers. These findings would appear to stress the importance of factors within the individuals environment, such as cigarette smoking, rather than more vague factors as racial differences and generalized atmospheric pollution. (AU)

Bagassosis: an epidemiological and environmental survey - abstract

An epiemiological and environmental survey of 170 bagasse workers employed by a raw sugar producing company in Trinidad was carried out in order to assess the prevalence of respiratory symptoms, and to determine if exposure to bagasse was associated with alterations in ventilatory capacity. The epidemiological survey failed to reveal a significantly increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms in the more exposed group, but showed that the group of Indian workers who were regularly and continuously exposed to bagasse had a significantly lower ventilatory capacity than the control group (p < 0.001). This diminished ventilatory capacity was demonstrated despite negligible dust concentrations in the plant. Dust concentrations were measured using a Hexhlet sampler, the highest mean total dust concentration of 0.71 mg./m3 being found in the unloading area. However, the possibility that persistent exposure to low concentrations of bagasse may be the cause of the diminished ventilatory capacity must be considered (AU)

Bagassosis: an epidemiological, environmental, and clinical survey

An epidemiological and environmental survey of 170 bagasse workers employed by a raw sugar producing company in Trinidad was carried out in order to assess the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and to determine if exposure to bagasse was associated with alterations in ventilatory capacity. The epidemiological survey failed to reveal a significantly increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms in the more exposed group but showed that the group of Indian workers who were regularly and continously exposed to bagasse had a significantly lower ventilatory capacity than the control group. This diminished ventilatory capacity was demonstrated despite negligible dust concentrations in the plant. However, the possibility that persistence exposure to low concentrations of bagasse may be the cause must be considered. During a five-year period, 17 patients with bagassosis were seen, the clinical picture being similar to that described in extrinsic allergic alveolitis from other causes. The systematic variations demonstrated in some indices of ventilatory function in different racial groups is discussed.(AU)