New study decodes patterns of pneumoconiosis among coal miners

At work, coal miners are constantly exposed to silica or coal dust, which tends to settle in their lungs. This irritates the lungs, causing inflammation, fibrosis, and breathing problems. Although coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP) is caused by dust inhalation inside and around coal mines, other contributing factors such as geological and mining parameters, mining technology, dust particle characteristics, and monitoring also play significant roles in its epidemiology. Clearly, the social determinants of health (SDH) or the environmental conditions that affect health, functional, and quality-of-life outcomes play a pivotal role in determining the incidence of CWP, which is now a major public health concern.