Combined effect of dust exposure and tobacco smoking on the occorence of lung disease in South African gold miners

Abstract

The objective of this thesis is to investigate whether tobacco smoking modifies the effect of gold mining dust exposure on the occurrence of lung diseases known, or suspected, to be causally associated with the gold mining occupation. In particular, the purpose is to ascertain whether the combined effect of dust and smoking on these diseases' occurrences is additive (i.e. the effects are independent), or synergistic (i.e. smoking increases the effect of dust), or antagonistic (i.e. smoking decreases the effect of dust).