Pneumoconiosis- an ignored occupational lung disease and Pulmonary Rehabilitation to improve the health related quality of life

Abstract

Mining generates impurities which are released into the air from operations such as drilling, blasting, shovelling, and tipping. The mining sector in India is one of the largest employers, with around four per cent of the workforce . Global burden of disease studies estimates pulmonary disease as the third leading cause of death worldwide, with increased mortality among workers seen with chronic exposures to silica dust. Pulmonary disease is also the second major cause of DALY. Pneumoconiosis caused by the inhalation of certain types of dust is a grave complication for workers involved in mining. It is progressive in nature and is irreversible with no available treatment modalities.