title: Silicosis among agate workers at Shakarpur: An analysis of clinic-based data.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a high prevalence of silicosis and other morbid conditions leading to early death among agate workers at Khambhat of Gujarat.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study describes the prevalence of X-ray positive silicosis in a sample of a high-risk group visiting a clinic at Shakarpur of Khambhat.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study among 123 clinically suspected cases was conducted over 6 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  A chest physician and a radiologist independently evaluated the Chest X-rays of 123 clinically suspected patients of silicosis. Silicosis was confirmed if either of them rated the X-ray as positive.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were done using SPSS software version 14.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 123 cases, 85 (69.1%) were confirmed as silicosis. There was no significant difference in the prevalence between males (70.3%) and females (69.4%). Workers with more than 10 years of exposure to silica had an odd ratio of 4.8, 95% CI (1.76, 13.60) compared to those with less than 10 years of exposure. A logistic regression analysis showed that for every extra year of exposure, the odds of getting silicosis increased by about 12%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights the catastrophic effects of exposures to silica in agate worker, which calls for urgent protective measures for this population.
authors.affiliation: Division of Chronic Diseases, Asian Institute of Public Health, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India.
authors.forename: Nayanjeet
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chaudhury
authors.forename: Ajay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Phatak
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paliwal
authors.forename: Chandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Raichaudhari