CDC Data Show Nearly 400 Percent Increase in Asbestosis-Related Deaths

WASHINGTON - Asbestosis-related deaths increased nearly 400 percent over the last three decades and are expected to climb steadily in the next 10 years, a study published recently by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

In an article titled "Changing Patterns of Pneumoconiosis Mortality - United States, 1968-2000," researchers determined that while the overall incidence of pneumoconiosis mortality is on the decline, asbestos-related deaths have skyrocketed due mostly to the use of asbestos-related products during World War II era.

"Because asbestosis mortality peaks 40-45 years after initial occupational exposure to asbestos, this upward trend reflects past exposure to …