Chapter Three
Substances and Health:
Conducting
Health Studies
A
TSDR conducts and supports health
studies to evaluate the relationship
between exposure to hazardous sub-
stances and adverse health effects. Many of
these studies have focused on seven priority
health conditions ATSDR identified as the
health conditions considered to be most sen-
sitive to exposures to hazardous substances.
These are birth defects and reproductive disor-
ders, cancer, immune function disorders, kidney
dysfunction, liver dysfunction, lung disease,
and neurotoxic disorders. ATSDR also conducts
studies to evaluate how people become exposed
to hazardous substances.
ATSDR completed 11 health studies during
fiscal year 2001 and initiated another 11
health studies. In addition, work continued on
Chest x-ray
28 health studies. ATSDR also continued sev-
eral surveillance activities in fiscal year 2001,
including its surveillance of hazardous spills
lungs) and chest x-rays (which can identify
and releases in a number of states.
changes in the lungs and the lining of the lungs
that may be the result of asbestos exposure). In
ATSDR's health studies program provides ser-
addition, a couple of new studies are underway
vices to communities and expands the knowl-
in Libby.
edge base for public health decisions and pro-
gram development. One of the major health
The following are summaries of the Libby,
study activities during fiscal year 2001 was
Montana, health studies, as well as summaries
the medical evaluation of people exposed to
of other health studies that ATSDR completed in
asbestos-contaminated vermiculite in Libby,
fiscal year 2001.
Montana. More than 7,000 people were pro-
vided medical testing, including spirometry
(which measures the breathing capacity of the
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