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The Navajo Nation Research Brief of the Black Lung Incidence Study identifies the current state of knowledge on black lung disease as it relates to coal mining and residential coal use in the Navajo Nation. It identifies prevalence rates in the U.S. counties that overlap with the Navajo Nation borders, estimates prevalence rates in those counties, and discusses data limitations specific to the Navajo Nation. Additionally, the research brief incorporates findings and several recommendations for future research from interviews with subject matter experts who have experience working closely with the Navajo Nation to conduct black lung disease research in the Navajo Nation. The findings from this research brief and recommendations for future research may support MSHA’s mission to “prevent death, illness, and injury from mining and promote safe and healthful workplaces for U.S. miners.”

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Key Takeaways

• There is a public health burden in the Navajo Nation related to residential coal use and coal mining, both of which have historically been important to the Navajo economy.
• According to statistical models designed to estimate black lung prevalence in the Navajo Nation by considering factors associated with black lung disease, estimated black lung prevalence is higher than reported in publicly available data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Enhanced Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program (ECWHSP) and CDC Wide-ranging ONline Data for Epidemiologic Research.
• Underreporting of black lung cases and deaths in the Navajo Nation may result from lack of trust in and access to healthcare and lack of trust in both researchers and the federal government.
• Future research efforts should be in direct collaboration with members of the Navajo Nation and organizations trusted by the Navajo Nation to create trust, mitigate cultural misunderstandings, and add credibility to the research.

Research Gaps

• In comparison to the published literature and data on black lung disease among coal miners, the available information on black lung disease in the Navajo Nation is extremely limited.
• Data suppression and underreporting limit the accuracy and usefulness of the publicly available data on black lung cases and deaths in the Navajo Nation.

Citation

Summit Consulting. (2024). Black Lung Incidence Study Navajo Nation Research Brief. Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor.

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The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) sponsors independent evaluations and research, primarily conducted by external, third-party contractors in accordance with the Department of Labor Evaluation Policy and CEO’s research development process.