Comorbidities accompanying pneumoconiosis and their impact on the return to work: A clinical experience in occupational medicine department in Türkiye

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate factors affecting return to work (RTW) after pneumoconiosis diagnosis and the impact of accompanying comorbidities. METHODS: Demographic characteristics, occupational factors, disease stage, respiratory function, comorbidities, and other occupational diseases of patients diagnosed with pneumoconiosis were retrospectively analyzed. Their effects on RTW and continued exposure to dust after diagnosis were investigated. RESULTS: Among 617 pneumoconiosis cases, 65.2% returned to work and 29.3% continued working in dusty environments. Age, smoking, type of dust exposure, frequent job changes, delayed diagnosis, advanced disease category, symptoms, abnormal physical findings, reduced pulmonary function, additional occupational diseases, and comorbidities significantly affected RTW. The presence of comorbidity, particularly malignancy, increased the likelihood of not RTW. CONCLUSION: Pneumoconiosis and accompanying comorbidities substantially influence RTW outcomes, highlighting the need for stronger workplace protection and multidisciplinary occupational health management.