8206825 Silicosis prevalence disparities by migration status among artificial stone benchtop workers in Victoria, Australia

<h3>Objective</h3> Silicosis, a respiratory disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust, is a major health concern among artificial stone benchtop workers worldwide. A health screening program funded by WorkSafe Victoria (Australia) showed had a high proportion of migrant workers (~50% born overseas) compared to general Australian workforce (30%). In this analysis we compared silicosis prevalence between migrant and non-migrant workers, with further analysis by interpreter use. <h3>Material and Methods</h3> Data were extracted for persons attending screening between 2019–2024. Australian-born workers were classified as non-migrants and those born elsewhere as migrants. Interpreters were available for the assessment. Prevalence was compared between groups using Poisson regression with robust standard errors adjusting for age, smoking status and exposure duration, and we report risk ratios (RR) with the 95% confidence interval (CI). <h3>Results</h3> There were 1080 workers, including 536 (50%) migrant workers and 24% of migrant workers used the interpreting service. Majority were men (93%) and median age was 33 (interquartile range (IQR) 27-42) and 39 years (IQR 31-47) among non-migrant and migrant workers, respectively. Silicosis prevalence was higher in migrant than non-migrant workers (23% vs 15%, RR=1.54, 95% CI 1.16–2.04). Prevalence among workers &lt;45years was comparable but in those age ≥45years, prevalence was higher among migrant workers (RR=2.86, 95% CI 1.62-5.06). Migrant workers who used an interpreter had higher silicosis risk than those who did not (32% vs 13%, RR=2.24, 95% CI 1.61-3.10). <h3>Conclusions</h3> This study showed disproportionate silicosis prevalence by migration status and interpreter use, the latter being a surrogate for language proficiency. It is therefore important for employers and workplace safety policymakers to seriously consider ways to overcome this disparity, and identify the optimum timing for intervening.