Respiratory protection: associated factors and effectiveness of respirator use among underground coal miners.
BACKGROUND
We investigated factors associated with the use of respiratory protection and explored the effectiveness of respirators among coal miners.


METHODS
Between 1987 and 1992, respiratory symptoms, smoking, lung function, and dust exposures were assessed longitudinally among 185 underground bituminous coal miners. Self-reported use of respiratory protection was expressed as mean percent time wearing a respirator.


RESULTS
Miners' respirator use increased with mean dust concentration, but decreased with tobacco consumption. Increasing age was associated with greater respirator use. Miners who had respiratory symptoms at the initial survey subsequently reported greater use of respirators. A significant protective association was found between the miners' respirator use and FEV(1) levels at both the initial and follow-up surveys.


CONCLUSIONS
These results provide additional evidence that respirator use is protective of lung health. When respiratory protection programs are developed, factors that may affect respirator use behavior, such as age, smoking, and respiratory symptoms, should be considered. Future studies of respiratory health will need to consider workers' use of respiratory protection.
Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.
Hongfei
H
Li
Mei-Lin
ML
Wang
Noah
N
Seixas
Alan
A
Ducatman
Edward Lee
EL
Petsonk
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003031:Coal; D003032:Coal Mining; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012134:Respiratory Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012907:Smoking; D013147:Spirometry; D013997:Time Factors
D003031:Coal; D004391:Dust