Pneumoconioses: estudo descritivo de aspectos epidemiológicos nas notificações registradas no Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN), no Estado de São Paulo, no período 2017-2019

Introduction: Pneumoconiosis is a group of diseases caused by inhalation and accumulation of dust in the lungs related to the work environment. Throughout the world, the number of cases of this pathology increased by 66.0% from 1990 to 2017. Objective: To describe epidemiological data reported and related to cases of workers with pneumoconiosis, in the period from 2017 to 2019, in the state of Sao Paulo. Methods: This is a descriptive study that addresses sociodemographic and professional information on pneumoconiosis cases notified in the state between 2017 and 2019. Data were collected in the Notifiable Diseases Information System. Results: A total of 721 reports of pneumoconiosis were found, with an average of 240 cases/year. The disease was more frequent in men aged 50 to 64 years. Regarding the status in the labor market, 73.6% of cases were registered workers. The most frequent occupation was construction workers, whereas the branch of economic activity was the manufacture of concrete, cement, fiber cement, plaster, and stucco products. Among the causative agents, asbestos predominated (77.3%), followed by silica and mixed dust. Most treatments took place on an outpatient basis, but hospitals and Reference Centers in Occupational Health were the main notifiers. Considering the Epidemiological Surveillance Groups of Sao Paulo, there was a predominance of the region of Santo Andre, with 480 notifications in the studied period. Conclusion: Efforts are needed to raise awareness on the importance of notification for the construction and implementation of a line of care that addresses the peculiarities of this serious occupational disease.