The HCHP's focus is to act as a clearinghouse for education and risk communication material concerning iodine-131
exposure and thyroid disease. A Web page is under development and a growing list of materials is being accumulated for
distribution to those who request it.
Hanford Birth Cohort: a Study of Adverse Autoimmune Function and Cardiovascular Disease - The purpose of
this study is to (1) explore the potential relationship of radioactive releases, mainly iodine-131, into the environment and
the prevalence of autoimmune diseases within the affected area; (2) explore the potential relationship of radioactive
releases, mainly iodine-131, into the environment and the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases within the affected area;
and (3) conduct comparative analyses with selected controls from same area. ATSDR will randomly choose 2,000
persons from the six counties to participate in the study. Data collection is scheduled to begin in fall 2002.
Additional Health Studies
Health studies are conducted to determine the relationship between exposures to hazardous substances and adverse
health effects and to define health problems that require further investigation. In addition to activities at Hanford, the
following are examples of health studies or investigations conducted in Washington.
ATSDR provided technical assistance to the Puyallup Tribe in Tacoma to assess causes of death among registered tribal
members who lived near the Commencement Bay site (1991). ATSDR awarded a grant to the Washington Depart-
ment of Health to conduct a mortality study of children who lived near the American Smelting and Refining Company
(ASARCO) copper smelter in Ruston (1994).
The Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance System (HSEES) was established by ATSDR in
1990 to collect and analyze information about releases of hazardous substances that need to be cleaned up or neutral-
ized according to federal, state, or local law, as well as threatened releases that result in a public health action, such as
an evacuation. The goal of HSEES is to reduce the morbidity and mortality experienced by first responders, employ-
ees, and the general public resulting from hazardous substances emergencies. A total of 16 state health departments
were awarded cooperative agreements, including Washington.
The HSEES
system is
used to
generate information
for use by states to conduct activities to support this goal. HSEES captures data on more than 5,000 events annually.
Brownfields are abandoned, idled, or underused industrial and commercial properties where expansion or redevelopment
is
complicated by
real or
perceived contamination. In
1997, the Brownfields National Partnership, a
collaboration of
17 federal agencies, was formed to assist local remediation and redevelopment in a coordinated manner. ATSDR is
among the participating agencies. As
part of
ATSDR's efforts in
this area, the agency entered into a
cooperative agree-
ment in 1998 with Seattle-King County Public Health Department to enhance their participation in brownfields
decisions and activities. The funding helped the local health department develop and implement strategies that ensure
remediation and redevelopment efforts will not create environmental health hazards in communities. Another project
involved participation in efforts by the National Association of City and County Health Officials to develop a national
protocol for conducting community environmental health assessments.
Toxicological Profiles
ATSDR develops toxicological profiles that describe health effects, environmental characteristics, and other information
for substances found at NPL sites. These profiles contain information on pathways of human exposure and the behavior
of hazardous substances in environmental media such as air, soil, and water. Since 1995, more than 1,750 of these profiles
have been sent to requesters, including representatives of federal, state, and local health and environmental departments;
academic institutions; private industries; and nonprofit organizations; in Washington.
If you would like additional information, contact ATSDR toll-free at (888) 42ATSDR,
that is, (888) 422-8737 or visit the homepage at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov
September 2002