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Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Establishing a Silicosis Rat Model via Exposure of Whole-Body to Respirable Silica
Published on: October 28, 2022
Silicosis prevalence and incidence among Medicare beneficiaries
Megan L Casey1, Jacek M Mazurek1
1Surveillance Branch, Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Morgantown, West Virginia.
Introduction:
Existing epidemiologic information on silicosis relies on mortality data.
Methods:
We analyzed health insurance claims and enrollment information from 49 923 987 fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 from 1999 to 2014. Three different definitions were developed to identify silicosis cases and results are presented as ranges of values for the three definitions.
Results:
Among FFS beneficiaries, 10 026-19 696 fit the silicosis case definitions (16-year prevalence: 20.1-39.5 per 100 000) with the highest prevalence among North American Natives (87.2-213.6 per 100 000) and those in New Mexico (83.9-203.4 per 100 000). The annual average prevalence had a significant (P < 0.05) 2-5% annual decline from 2005 to 2014. The average annual number of incident cases had a significant 3-16% annual decline from 2007 to 2014.
Conclusions:
Silicosis is a prevalent disease among Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65, with variation across the country. Morbidity data from health insurance claims can provide a more complete picture of silicosis burden.
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