Hazardous Substances and Health:
Conducting
Health Studies
A
Preliminary Findings of
TSDR conducts and supports health
studies to evaluate the relationship
Asbestos Medical Testing,
between exposure to hazardous sub-
Libby, Montana
stances and adverse health effects. Many of
A total of 7,307 persons participated in asbes-
these studies have focused on seven priority
tos medical testing sponsored by ATSDR and
health conditions ATSDR identified as those
conducted in 2000 and 2001. Those eligible
considered to be most sensitive to exposures to
for testing included former W.R. Grace work-
hazardous substances. These are birth defects
ers from Libby and persons who lived, worked,
and reproductive disorders, cancer, immune
or played in Libby for at least 6 months before
function disorders, kidney dysfunction, liver
December 31, 1990.
dysfunction, lung disease,
and neurotoxic disorders.
A total of 7,307
The testing included a
ATSDR also conducts stud-
face-to-face interview, a
ies to evaluate how people
persons participated
three-view chest x-ray,
become exposed to hazardous
and a spirometry test. The
in asbestos medical
substances.
interview was designed to
testing for Libby
obtain information needed
In 2002, ATSDR completed
to better analyze the health
9 health studies. Another
residents and former
data collected during the
11 health studies were ini-
residents.
medical testing. Questions
tiated by ATSDR, and 31
asked included number of
health studies are continuing.
years lived in the Libby
ATSDR also continued sev-
area, smoking history, and exposure variables
eral surveillance activities in fiscal year 2002,
(such as having been a W.R. Grace worker,
including its surveillance of hazardous spills
playing in vermiculite piles, playing at the ball
and releases in a number of states. The follow-
field near the expansion plant, etc.). The chest
ing are summaries of some of the health stud-
x-ray helped identify changes in the lungs and
ies that ATSDR performed in fiscal year 2002
lung lining that might be the result of asbestos
and other related activities, such as convening
exposure. The spirometry test measured air flow
expert panels to consider study designs.
in and out of the lungs to evaluate lung func-
tion.
chapter 3 43
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