Asbestos-related lung disease among women in the Northern Province of South Africa

Asbestos has been mined in South Africa for over 100 years but the health c onsequences for people living in rural areas have not been adequately addre ssed. A study of 770 women who had worked in the asbestos mines in the Nort hern Province of South Africa between 1929 and 1992 was carried out to dete rmine the prevalence of asbestos-related disease. None of the women had bee n examined since leaving the mines. A clinical diagnosis of pleural and/or parenchymal asbestosis was made in 741 (96.2%) women. Radiological evidence of tuberculosis, or a history of previous treatment, was found in 58 (7.5% ). The high prevalence of asbestosis is attributed to the high levels of am phibole dust exposure and the long residence time of the dust in the lungs. There is a large, unrecognized burden of asbestos-related lung diseases am ong women in rural areas of South Africa who have worked on asbestos mines. Urgent steps are needed to deal with the health and economic consequences of asbestosis in rural communities.