272
last century. Indeed, asbestos was commonly utilized in construction industry (for
building insulation and roofs), for water supply lines, or to build automotive parts [6].
Although no longer used in the most part of high-income countries, some of the
developing nations, as India and China, still include it in various products, using
hundreds of thousands of metric tons each year. Inevitably, asbestos-containing
products are yet shipped to Western countries [7].
Because of the massive use of asbestos compounds during the past and the long
latency of asbestos-related diseases (e.g. up to 47 years for mesothelioma development since first exposure), it emerged as a major health concern only during the last
decades, especially among the working population [8]. For this reason, the attention
to the occupational risk of asbestos chronic exposure has significantly increased.
In Italy, a national registry for asbestos-related diseases was set up. According to
Italian law [9], the employer must report to the local office of the Italian National
Agency for Insurance Against Work Injuries (INAIL) the occurrence of occupational asbestos-related diseases, within 5 days from the initial diagnosis, as certified
by the General Practitioner.
29.2 Research Goal
Aim of the study is to draw the trend of asbestos-related diseases in Italian workers
during the 2014–2018 period.
29.3 Materials and Methods
Ascertained diagnoses of asbestos-related diseases among workers were collected
from the INAIL public registry [10] from 1st January 2014 to 31st December 2018.
Yearly incidence rate of asbestos-related diseases among workers was estimated
by province, as the number of incident cases per million workers, and mapped
by year.
Distribution Data regarding workforce population from open data provided by
the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) [11].
Yearly map sources of administrative repartitions were retrieved from official
ISTAT source [12].
29.4 Results
Incidence rate rapidly increased from 2014, peaking at 7.2 new cases per 100.000
workers in 2015. Afterwards, the number of ascertained cases decreased by nearly
2 in 100,000 during the next 3 years, bottoming at 5.1 cases in 2018 (Fig. 29.1).
A. Vinci et al.
last century. Indeed, asbestos was commonly utilized in construction industry (for
building insulation and roofs), for water supply lines, or to build automotive parts [6].
Although no longer used in the most part of high-income countries, some of the
developing nations, as India and China, still include it in various products, using
hundreds of thousands of metric tons each year. Inevitably, asbestos-containing
products are yet shipped to Western countries [7].
Because of the massive use of asbestos compounds during the past and the long
latency of asbestos-related diseases (e.g. up to 47 years for mesothelioma development since first exposure), it emerged as a major health concern only during the last
decades, especially among the working population [8]. For this reason, the attention
to the occupational risk of asbestos chronic exposure has significantly increased.
In Italy, a national registry for asbestos-related diseases was set up. According to
Italian law [9], the employer must report to the local office of the Italian National
Agency for Insurance Against Work Injuries (INAIL) the occurrence of occupational asbestos-related diseases, within 5 days from the initial diagnosis, as certified
by the General Practitioner.
29.2 Research Goal
Aim of the study is to draw the trend of asbestos-related diseases in Italian workers
during the 2014–2018 period.
29.3 Materials and Methods
Ascertained diagnoses of asbestos-related diseases among workers were collected
from the INAIL public registry [10] from 1st January 2014 to 31st December 2018.
Yearly incidence rate of asbestos-related diseases among workers was estimated
by province, as the number of incident cases per million workers, and mapped
by year.
Distribution Data regarding workforce population from open data provided by
the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) [11].
Yearly map sources of administrative repartitions were retrieved from official
ISTAT source [12].
29.4 Results
Incidence rate rapidly increased from 2014, peaking at 7.2 new cases per 100.000
workers in 2015. Afterwards, the number of ascertained cases decreased by nearly
2 in 100,000 during the next 3 years, bottoming at 5.1 cases in 2018 (Fig. 29.1).
A. Vinci et al.