Asbestosis Facts and Statistics

The tragic influence of asbestos upon the health and well being of the entire population is undeniable. Although legislative action against the asbestos industry has been feeble, many progressive-minded politicians and researchers do recognize the need for change. Patients of asbestos-related diseases suffer from painful, debilitating illnesses such as asbestosis and mesothelioma. For general information about asbestosis, please see Asbestosis Overview.

According to hospital data compiled in the United Kingdom, the following facts are true of hospital visits in the U.K.

- In 2002 and 2003 alone, 244 patients seeking hospital consultations suffered from asbestosis and pneumoconiosis.

- Of these 244 asbestosis and pneumoconiosis patients, more than 150 patients required admission into the hospital.

- On average, these admitted asbestosis patients spent 11 days at the hospital. The majority of the admitted patients were admitted on an emergency basis, requiring acute care for their illnesses.

- Only less than 15 percent of these hospital consultation patients were below the age of 59. The average age for asbestosis consultation was 72.

- During the years 2002 and 2003, more than 1,000 hospital beds in the United Kingdom were occupied by patients suffering from asbestosis and pneumoconiosis.

- In 2001 alone, more than 160 people in the United Kingdom died from complications relating to asbestosis.

Asbestosis and asbestos-related illnesses are not just a problem in the United Kingdom and other regions of Europe. America suffers from what many experts call the "asbestos epidemic," with yearly mortality rates far exceeding those found in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. For instance:

- There are an estimated 10,000 deaths in the United States each year that can be attributed to asbestos exposure and asbestos-related illnesses.

- Of these 10,000 asbestos-related deaths, an average of more than 1,000 are caused by the direct complications of asbestosis.

- Some of the direct complications of asbestosis include drastically elevated pulmonary blood pressure, heart weakness and failure, non-cancerous pleural conditions such as calcium plaque buildups and fluid retention, diminished capacity to deliver oxygen via the bloodstream, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.

- Having asbestosis may elevate one's risk for developing lung cancer. In a recent study, scientists found that 46 percent of a sample population with asbestosis eventually developed lung cancer, as opposed to nine percent of a non-asbestosis suffering population that was exposed to asbestos.

- Asbestosis patients who smoke or have smoked tobacco are at a much greater risk for developing lung cancer.

- Although the topic is highly controversial, some scientists believe that asbestos-related lung cancer only develops in lungs compromised by asbestosis.

- It may take 20 to 50 years for asbestosis and other asbestos-related illnesses to present in individuals exposed to asbestos.

- Most doctors believe that the severity of asbestosis correlates with the duration of the exposure to asbestos and the quantity of asbestos fibers found in the lungs.

Out of every 10,000 people in the United States, four people are afflicted with asbestosis. In a national population of over 300 million people, that amounts to over 120,000 people living in the United States with asbestosis.

If you are living with asbestosis or another asbestos-related illness, you do have options, some of which could save your life. With the proper medical treatment and awareness, you may be able to salvage the life and dignity that has been damaged by the asbestos industry. Contact a knowledgeable asbestos-related claims lawyer today.

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