Risk factors for silicotuberculosis among miners: a scoping review

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Silicotuberculosis (STB) is a critical occupational health concern, representing tuberculosis development in miners with silicosis.
• STB poses a significant public health challenge in the 21st century, particularly for mining populations exposed to silica dust.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review to identify and map the risk factors associated with silicotuberculosis (STB).
• To synthesize existing literature on STB risk factors to inform future research and policy.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was performed across major databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, COCHRANE LIBRARY) and grey literature sources.
• Studies were selected based on their assessment of STB as the primary outcome, or tuberculosis (TB) and silicosis as comorbidities leading to STB.

Main Results:

• Twenty-two studies were included in the review.
• Identified STB risk factors include demographic (age, sex), lifestyle (smoking, alcohol), clinical (TB history, silicosis grade, HIV), and occupational (silica exposure, employment duration, work setting) elements.

Conclusions:

• The review identified critical research gaps, including a lack of longitudinal studies on the TB-silicosis-STB relationship, insufficient gender considerations, and absence of research on vulnerable populations like children.
• Findings aim to guide future research and inform occupational health and safety policies to mitigate STB risks in miners.