The incidence of pneumoconiosis is probably high among exposed workers, but there is no epidemiological information such as a historical series of hospitalizations in the several areas of the country. OBJECTIVE: to study the frequency and distribution of this disease, in Brazil and its states, through the survey of hospital admissions due to pneumoconiosis in the period between 1993 and 2003, and to discuss the possibilities that these admissions were related to the work processes of each region. METHODS: pneumoconiosis morbidity information was collected from the Hospital Admission Information System of SUS and IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), described and analyzed, for the population over 15 years of age in the period between 1993 and 2003, distributed per state and Brazil in the period between 1993 and 2003. ICD-9 (1993-1997) and ICD-10 (1998-2003) were used. RESULTS: a predominance of the states of the South and Southeast was observed, showing a correlation with work processes and access of workers to healthcare. DISCUSSION: The data permitted identifying a difference between the data before and after 1998, which corresponds to the change from ICD-9 to ICD-10, thus indicating a correlation between changes in diagnostic criteria and the form of collecting primary data by the SUS. CONCLUSION: The distribution of hospital admissions is heterogeneous and this possibly reflects the vertex of an inverted pyramid of the total of cases that should in fact occur among Brazilian workers. Facing the situation makes it possible to approach the actual epidemiological status, and thus contribute to the orientation of prophylactic and risk-reduction measures and preparation of the health system.
Pneumoconiosis; Silicosis; Asbestosis; Occupational lung disease
