What else increases the risk of asbestos related disease?

What else increases the risk of asbestos related disease?

Not everyone exposed to asbestos develops an illness. In general, the longer your exposure, the higher your risk. But even if you only had brief exposure to asbestos, you still have a risk of developing a disease.

Factors that affect your risk of developing asbestos-related disease:

• Duration: How long you were exposed to the asbestos.
• Intensity: How much asbestos you were exposed to.
• Type of industry: Lower risk if asbestos is bonded into a product (such as walls or tiles); higher risk if asbestos is released into the air, such as during sawing or drilling.
• Personal risk factors: Smoking or pre-existing lung disease.
• Genetic mutations: Gene change that makes it more likely you’ll develop a disease.