Clusters of Pneumoconiosis among Residents Near Cement Factories

영월 시멘트공장 인근 주민에게서의 진폐증 집단 발생 사례보고

  • Leem, Jong-Han (Department of Internal Medicine, Inha University Hospital) ;
  • Cho, Jae-Hwa (Department of Internal Medicine, Inha University Hospital) ;
  • Lee, Eui-Cheol (Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kosin University Hospital) ;
  • Kim, Jeong-Hoon (Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inha University Hospital) ;
  • Lee, Dong-Hoon (Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inha University Hospital) ;
  • Lee, Seung-Jun (Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inha University Hospital) ;
  • Lee, Ji-Young (Department of Social Medicine, College of Medicine, Inha University) ;
  • Kim, Hwan-Cheol (Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inha University Hospital)
  • 임종한 (인하대병원 호흡기내과) ;
  • 조재화 (인하대병원 호흡기내과) ;
  • 이의철 (고신대병원 산업의학과) ;
  • 김정훈 (인하대병원 산업의학과) ;
  • 이동훈 (인하대병원 산업의학과) ;
  • 이승준 (인하대병원 산업의학과) ;
  • 이지영 (인하대병원 사회의학교실) ;
  • 김환철 (인하대병원 산업의학과)
  • Received : 2009.11.13
  • Accepted : 2010.06.08
  • Published : 2010.06.30

Abstract

Objective: This study investigated case clusters of pneumoconiosis among residents near cement factories in Young_Wol, Korea. Methods: There were 1,396 residents of a total 3,418 residents surveyed for this study. Informations on demographics, health-related behaviors (smoking and drinking), past medical history, and clinical symptoms were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. All study participants underwent a physical examination, including chest X-ray, and physicians' interview. Chest CT (computerized tomography) was taken if there was abnormal finding on chest X-ray and physicians' interview. Results: We detected 5 cases of pneumoconiosis. 2 cases were related to occupational exposure to dust, such as underground mining and the breaking up of concrete. However, 3 cases were not related to occupational or environmental exposure, except that persons were living near cement factories and limestone mines. Conclusion: This study suggests that the long-term exposure of cement dust among residents near cement factories and mines may lead to the development of pneumoconiosis.

목적: 본 연구에서는 영월 시멘트 공장 주변 주민들에게서 호흡기계 건강진단을 시행하여 진폐증 집단 발병을 보고하고자 하였다. 방법: 시멘트 공장 주변지역 주민들 1,396명을 대상으로 (1) 흉부방사선 검사, (2) 전문과(산업의학과, 호흡기내과 등) 문진을 시행하였으며, 호흡기계 중증질환이 의심되는 주민의 경우 흉부 전산화단층촬영(CT)을 추가로 시행하였다. 결과: 전체 연구대상자중 17명을 대상으로 CT 및 호흡기 내과진료 등의 호흡기 정밀 진료를 시행하였는데, 과거 지하 착암작업 및 지하 채탄작업 직업력이 있는 2명을 제외한 나머지 3명은 진폐증을 유발할만한 직업적 노출력이 없었다. 결론: 이번 연구는 시멘트공장 및 석회석 광산 주변 인근 주민들에게서 장기간의 분진 노출은 진폐증을 발생시킬 수 있음을 시사한다.

Keywords

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