Respiratory Health and Community Asbestos Exposure

描述（由申请人提供）：石棉是肺癌、石棉肺、间皮瘤的已知偶然因素。这些关联在职业暴露人群中得到了很好的证实，但在较低环境暴露下的风险尚不清楚。ATSDR的任务包括发展与了解石棉等有害物质对人类健康的影响有关的知识库。拟议的研究建立在以前由ATSDR资助的评估石棉污染环境的工作基础上。1938年至1989年，明尼苏达州明尼阿波利斯市一个人口稠密的城市住宅区在西部矿产公司/ WR Grace工厂处理蒙大拿利比市被石棉污染的蛭石矿石时，暴露在严重的石棉环境中。从加工厂出来的废石在附近广泛分布，孩子们经常在废石堆上玩耍。明尼苏达州卫生部与ATSDR合作，建立了该社区现居民和前居民的名册，并对这一人群的接触情况进行了初步估计。这项研究工作的长期目标是确定明尼阿波利斯WM/WRG设施受污染矿石的石棉暴露对工人和周围社区成员造成不利健康后果的程度。拟议的研究将侧重于社区的非职业暴露。以下假设将在本研究中解决。1. 在东北明尼阿波利斯社区蛭石调查队列的成员中，非职业暴露于石棉污染的蛭石产品和废物与非恶性石棉相关呼吸系统疾病的患病率增加有关，特别是胸膜异常。儿童时期的接触与非恶性呼吸道疾病的发病关系更密切。将根据暴露的可能性从600名已确认的居民中选出样本。用于检测与石棉接触相一致的非恶性呼吸异常（x线摄影和肺活量测定）的呼吸筛查方案将确定石棉相关呼吸疾病的流行情况。在控制潜在混杂协变量的情况下，这些疾病的患病率将在估计石棉暴露的基础上进行比较。分析将考虑累积暴露和短时间高强度暴露，具体涉及儿童时期的暴露。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Asbestos is a known casual factor for lung cancer, asbestosis, mesothelioma. These associations are well established in occupationally exposed populations, however the risks at lower environmental exposures are not clear. The mission of the ATSDR includes developing the knowledge base related to understanding the effects of hazardous substances, like asbestos, on human health. The proposed research builds on previous work funded by the ATSDR evaluating an asbestos contaminated environment. From 1938-1989 a densely populated urban residential neighborhood in Minneapolis, MN experienced significant environmental asbestos exposure from processing asbestos contaminated vermiculite ore from Libby Montana at the Western Minerals/ WR Grace facility. Waste rock from the processing plant was distributed widely around the neighborhood and children frequently played on the piles of waste rock. The Minnesota Department of Health in cooperation with the ATSDR has established a roster of current and former residents of the neighborhood and have made initial estimates of exposure to this population. The long-term goal of this research effort is to determine the extent to which asbestos exposure from contaminated ore at the WM/WRG facility in Minneapolis resulted in adverse health consequences to workers and members of the surrounding community. The proposed research will focus on non-occupational exposure in the community. The following hypotheses will be addressed in this research. 1. Non-occupational exposure to asbestos contaminated vermiculite products and waste products is associated with increased prevalence of non-malignant asbestos related respiratory disease, specifically pleural abnormalities, in the members of the Northeast Minneapolis Community Vermiculite Investigation Cohort. 2. Exposure during childhood is more strongly related to onset of non-malignant respiratory disease. A sample of 600 of the identified residents will be selected based on probability of exposure. A respiratory screening protocol for detection of non-malignant respiratory abnormalities (radiographic and spirometry) consistent with asbestos exposure will establish prevalent asbestos related respiratory disease. The prevalence of these conditions will be compared on the basis of estimated asbestos exposure while controlling for potentially confounding covariates. Analyses will consider cumulative exposure and short, intense periods of exposure, with specific reference to exposure in childhood.