Global, regional, and national burden of asbestosis from 1990 to 2019 and the implications for prevention and control.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Asbestosis is a common pneumoconiosis caused by long-term asbestos exposure. Analysis of the burden of asbestosis would help in creating informed public health strategies. METHODS: Data on asbestosis were analyzed using the Global Burden of Disease study 2019. The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was calculated to demonstrate temporal trends in the age-standardized rate (ASR) of asbestosis from 1990 to 2019. RESULTS: Globally, 36,339 incident cases of asbestosis, led to 3572 deaths and 71,225 disability adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2019. During 1990-2019, the overall ASRs of incidence and DALYs declined by an annual average of 0.29 % and 0.27 %, with the respective EAPCs being -0.29 (95 % confidence interval [CI] -0.43, -0.14) and -0.27 (95%CI -0.53, -0.01). The ASRs of mortality increased with EAPC of 0.65 (95%CI 0.34, 0.96). Trends in incidence and prevalence rose in females, but declined in males. The asbestosis burden was heterogeneous across regions and countries. The heaviest burden of asbestosis was observed in the United States, India, and China. Trends in ASRs of asbestosis varied across countries/territories. Pronounced increasing trends in incidence and prevalence occurred in Georgia, Iran, and Croatia. CONCLUSIONS: Decreasing incident trend of asbestosis was observed globally over the past three decades. However, the ongoing asbestosis burden highlighted that asbestosis remained a challenge to public health, and cost-effective measures were required to reduce the asbestosis burden.