Mesothelioma Mortality in Brazil from 2000 to 2019: Despite underreporting, an overview for the necessary public policy approach

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Asbestos identifies a group of minerals widely used by the industry due to the low cost of exploration. Asbestos is carcinogenic, causes lung cancer and mesothelioma. Mortality due to mesothelioma is a public health problem and in Brazil the number of Asbestos-Related Diseases is increasing at the expense of diagnosis and underreporting. Brazil is among the five largest global suppliers and consumers of asbestos. Work-related carcinogens are responsible for considerable disease burden worldwide. The results provide guidance for prevention and control initiatives. In the world, occupational Lung cancer accounted for 86% of the deaths, mesothelioma for 7.9%. Asbestos was responsible for the largest number of deaths due to occupational carcinogens (63%). AIM: to describe mesothelioma mortality rates in Brazil. Period 2000 to 2019. METHODS: Descriptive study with data collection through DataSus / MS and Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics - IBGE. RESULTS:Mortality rate in Brazil in the year 2000 was 0.35 / 100 thousand inhabitants and in 2019 it was 1.02. States with higher rates concentrate a high degree of urbanization and the use of asbestos in civil construction. The underreporting and latency of occurrence of Mesothelioma influenced the results. In Brazil in 2007 it was 0.41 deaths / million inhabitants. In the United Kingdom 17.8 deaths / million inhabitants, Australia 16.5; USA 13.32 and Italy 10.3 all in 2007.The United States imported 300 tons of asbestos from Brazil in 2020, an increase of 30% compared to 2019 CONCLUSIONS:There is a significant increase in mortality rates by mesothelioma in Brazil. Knowing the mortality rates contributes to the adoption of public policies and actions in primary care and a better notification of cases and deaths. It is necessary to promoting on occupational and environmental health and a policy to ban asbestos in Brazil is necessary. KEYWORDS: Occupational epidemiology, Mortality, Cancer and cancer precursors,Policy and practice