PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Little is known about the burden of silicosis in Africa, despite extensive mining and construction operations in the region putting numerous people at risk. The implementation experience and costs of case-finding for occupational lung disease in resource-limited settings are also currently unknown. We describe the first-ever silicosis case-finding project in rural Rwanda using chest X-ray, symptom questionnaires, and spirometry. This was coupled with routine noncommunicable disease case-finding for diabetes and hypertension. We performed an ingredient-based analysis of the costs of all case-finding activities. In 2022, over 25 days, 1,032 mine workers were included in the program, of which 1,014 (98.3%) completed silicosis case-finding activities. The total cost of the program was estimated to be US$38,656, representing a cost of US$37.49 per person. We conclude that conducting large-scale occupational lung disease case-finding is clinically and economically feasible in resource-limited settings and can be effectively integrated with routine noncommunicable disease case-finding.
摘要：
人们对非洲矽肺的负担知之甚少，尽管该地区广泛的采矿和建筑作业使许多人处于危险之中。在资源有限的环境中，职业性肺病病例发现的实施经验和成本目前也未知。我们使用胸部X射线描述了卢旺达农村地区有史以来第一个矽肺病病例发现项目，症状问卷，和肺活量测定。这与糖尿病和高血压的常规非传染性疾病病例发现相结合。我们对所有病例发现活动的成本进行了基于成分的分析。2022年，超过25天，该计划包括1032名矿工，其中1,014人(98.3%)完成矽肺病病例发现活动。该计划的总费用估计为38,656美元，每人费用为37.49美元。我们得出的结论是，在资源有限的环境中进行大规模的职业性肺病病例发现在临床和经济上都是可行的，并且可以与常规的非传染性疾病病例发现有效地结合起来。
