Potentially productive years of life lost due to pneumoconiosis mortality in the United States, 1968-2004

To describe potentially productive years of life lost due to premature mortality in the U.S. working-age (15–64) population attributed to asbestosis, coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP), and silicosis during 1968–2004. Years of potential life lost before age 65 (YPLL-65) were calculated using the National Center for Health Statistics' annual underlying cause-of-death data for 1968–2004, using standard methodology (for 5-year age groups). Industry and occupation information was available for a subset of 26 states for some years during 1985–1999 (n=536). Overall, deaths from asbestosis (n=1,131), CWP (n=3,952), and silicosis (n=1,985) resulted in 46,596 YPLL-65 (mean 6.6 years per death). Of the total YPLL-65, CWP accounted for 48% (22,569 YPLL-65; mean 5.7), silicosis for 36% (16,989; 8.6), and asbestosis for 15% (7,038; 6.2). Deaths in young adults (ages 15–44) resulted in 6,354 YPLL-65, with silicosis deaths accounting for 73% (4,665 YPLL-65; mean 26.5), CWP for 20% (1,245; 24.4), and asbestosis for 7% (444; 24.7). Industry and occupation information was available for 153 asbestosis, 235 CWP, and 148 silicosis decedents. The leading industry and occupation causes of YPLL-65 attributed to asbestosis were construction (244 YPLL-65; mean 5.7) and insulation workers (112; 5.9), to silicosis were construction (263; 10.1) and miscellaneous metal and plastic processing machine operators (174; 21.8), and to CWP were coal mining (945; 5.6) and mining machine operators (842; 5.5). Although CWP deaths resulted in the highest overall YPLL-65, silicosis resulted in the highest mean YPLL-65 and the highest mean and overall YPLL-65 among young adults.