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Respiratory protection: Associated factors and effectiveness of respirator use among underground coal miners
Author(s) -
Li Hongfei,
Wang MeiLin,
Seixas Noah,
Ducatman Alan,
Petsonk Edward Lee
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.10079
Subject(s) - respirator , medicine , respiratory system , environmental health , toxicology , materials science , composite material , biology
Abstract Background We investigated factors associated with the use of respiratory protection and explored the effectiveness of respirators among coal miners. Methods Between 1987 and 1992, respiratory symptoms, smoking, lung function, and dust exposures were assessed longitudinally among 185 underground bituminous coal miners. Self‐reported use of respiratory protection was expressed as mean percent time wearing a respirator. Results Miners' respirator use increased with mean dust concentration, but decreased with tobacco consumption. Increasing age was associated with greater respirator use. Miners who had respiratory symptoms at the initial survey subsequently reported greater use of respirators. A significant protective association was found between the miners' respirator use and FEV 1 levels at both the initial and follow‐up surveys. Conclusions These results provide additional evidence that respirator use is protective of lung health. When respiratory protection programs are developed, factors that may affect respirator use behavior, such as age, smoking, and respiratory symptoms, should be considered. Future studies of respiratory health will need to consider workers' use of respiratory protection. Am. J. Ind. Med. 42:55–62, 2002. Published 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.