Category
Applied
Description
Many consider diseases caused by asbestos exposure to be antiquated conditions that are rarely observed today. However, asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) have long latency periods, meaning that the time between exposure to asbestos and the onset of disease typically ranges between 20-40 years. Since the last import of asbestos to the United States was in 2023, occupational exposure has continued into recent history. This study hypothesizes that there has not yet been a decline in asbestosis and mesothelioma incidence and mortality–two conditions primarily caused by asbestos exposure–indicating that the latency period between asbestos exposure and disease occurrence persists into the modern day. United States consumption of asbestos were gathered from circulars and mineral reports published by the US Department of Interior Geological Survey, which documented production, import, export, and consumption data from 1900-2023. Disease incidence and mortality rates per year were gathered from the Center for Disease Control’s WONDER, United States Cancer Statistics’ SEER, and Global Burden of Disease IMHE databases, which were standardized to rate per 100,000. These data sets were analyzed using regression statistics (including ANOVA) to determine if the peak has occurred, and analyzing using correlation and regression statistics to determine if a correlation between the importation of asbestos products and latent disease incidence exists. For asbestosis, the latency period of incidence was found to be 40 (¿=0.485, p<0.05) to 60 (¿=0.449, p<0.05) years. The latency period of incidence for mesothelioma was found to be 30 (¿=0.360, p<0.05) to 45 (¿=0.508, p<0.001) years. Using this data, this study confirms literature latency periods for asbestosis and mesothelioma. Historical trends in latency periods are valuable because there is a wide range of literature values typically derived from case studies of specific cohorts. This study seeks to bring awareness to the prevalence of asbestos-related diseases in the modern day, which is likely to continue decades into the future.
Decades After Exposure: The Continuing Burden of Asbestos-Related Diseases in the United States
Applied
Many consider diseases caused by asbestos exposure to be antiquated conditions that are rarely observed today. However, asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) have long latency periods, meaning that the time between exposure to asbestos and the onset of disease typically ranges between 20-40 years. Since the last import of asbestos to the United States was in 2023, occupational exposure has continued into recent history. This study hypothesizes that there has not yet been a decline in asbestosis and mesothelioma incidence and mortality–two conditions primarily caused by asbestos exposure–indicating that the latency period between asbestos exposure and disease occurrence persists into the modern day. United States consumption of asbestos were gathered from circulars and mineral reports published by the US Department of Interior Geological Survey, which documented production, import, export, and consumption data from 1900-2023. Disease incidence and mortality rates per year were gathered from the Center for Disease Control’s WONDER, United States Cancer Statistics’ SEER, and Global Burden of Disease IMHE databases, which were standardized to rate per 100,000. These data sets were analyzed using regression statistics (including ANOVA) to determine if the peak has occurred, and analyzing using correlation and regression statistics to determine if a correlation between the importation of asbestos products and latent disease incidence exists. For asbestosis, the latency period of incidence was found to be 40 (¿=0.485, p<0.05) to 60 (¿=0.449, p<0.05) years. The latency period of incidence for mesothelioma was found to be 30 (¿=0.360, p<0.05) to 45 (¿=0.508, p<0.001) years. Using this data, this study confirms literature latency periods for asbestosis and mesothelioma. Historical trends in latency periods are valuable because there is a wide range of literature values typically derived from case studies of specific cohorts. This study seeks to bring awareness to the prevalence of asbestos-related diseases in the modern day, which is likely to continue decades into the future.
