About: |
The Division of Respiratory Disease Studies (DRDS) is
a multidisciplinary center for research and public health
activities directed toward prevention of occupational
respiratory diseases. An integrated program of epidemiological,
environmental, clinical, and laboratory research is used
to investigate the causes of disease and to recommend
regulatory changes to diminish the burden of occupational
lung disease. DRDS conducts epidemiological studies to
assess workers' risk of disease from exposures at mines,
mills and other industrial, construction, and agricultural
workplaces. Workplace exposure data from regulatory agencies
are reviewed and comprehensive industrial hygiene investigations
are conducted at targeted worksites to characterize employee
exposure to hazardous chemical, physical and biological
agents. Clinical studies are performed to evaluate the
respiratory effects of occupational exposure, to clarify
the mechanisms of human response, and to develop and refine
clinical techniques for investigating occupational respiratory
diseases. DRDS alerts government agencies to potentially
hazardous workplace exposure and disease patterns and
recommends specific action. DRDS administers the National
Coal Worker's X-ray Surveillance Program and the national
Coal Workers' Autopsy Study under the Federal Mine Safety
and Health Act of 1969, as amended in 1977. Mandated program
activities include certification of X-ray facilities,
Mine Plan approvals, B-Reader Examinations, and coordination
of processing, storage, and retrieval of files and records
from medical examinations. Data is analyzed for trends
in the prevalence of miners' lung diseases. other surveillance
activities include monitoring of trends in the prevalence
of all occupational lung diseases. DRDS conducts basic
and applied research in biochemistry, physiology, immunology,
pathology, microbiology, pharmacology, and aerosol physics
to evaluate the hazards of biologic and chemical agents,
to clarify mechanisms of disease caused by these agents,
and to develop early markers of respiratory disease. Investigators
identify animal models for occupational respiratory disease
research, develop and test new laboratory techniques for
evaluating the effects of hazardous agents, and characterize
hazardous physical and chemical properties of respirable
particles. The Division responds to requests from individual
workers, unions and employers to investigate exposures
and potential health problems at numerous worksites. During
these Health Hazard Evaluations, industrial hygienists,
physicians, nurses, medical technicians and epidemiologists
evaluate reported problems and disseminate findings and
recommended strategies for reducing exposure. DRDS provides
epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory research training
and experience in occupational respiratory diseases by
sponsoring positions in the Centers for Disease Control
Epidemic Intelligence Service, the NIOSH pulmonary medicine
fellowship program, and the National Research Council's
Resident Research Associateship program, as well as through
DRDS electives for occupational medicine residents and
West Virginia University graduate students.
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