Shipbuilding Industry Had the Highest Mesothelioma Mortality Rate

Mesothelioma News

Study Pinpoints Distribution of Mesothelioma in US

MORGANTOWN, WV — March 24, 2006 — Just over 7,500 people died in the United States from the cancer mesothelioma during the period from 1999 through 2001, according to data obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics. The survey was part of a study at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which reviewed the geographical and occupational distribution of mesothelioma (Lung Cancer, 2006 Mar 14).

The researchers adjusted for age when determining mesothelioma mortality rates. They also calculated a proportionate mortality ratio by job title and industry, adjusting it for age, sex, and race. A proportionate mortality ratio is the number of deaths from a particular cause (mesothelioma) divided by the expected number of deaths due to that cause.

Industries in Which Workers Have High Mesothelioma Rates

The industries with the highest proportionate mortality rates for mesothelioma were shipbuilding and ship repairing. Other studies also indicate that ship workers suffer an increased death rate from mesothelioma. This is consistent with the high rate of asbestos exposure in these jobs.

The second highest death rate from mesothelioma was in the industrial chemicals industry, and the third highest was in the construction area. Construction workers who died from mesothelioma were located in 19 states, and were likely exposed to asbestos in insulation, cement compounds and other building materials. By job title, the group with the highest mesothelioma mortality rate included plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, mechanical engineers and electricians. This result was expected based on prior studies.

Eighty–five percent of the mesothelioma deaths were male, suggesting that men were more likely to be exposed to asbestos on the job than were women. In the 1940s through 1960s, most women did not work in industries such as construction in which there were high asbestos levels. Since it takes from 20 to 60 years from initial asbestos exposure before a patient develops mesothelioma, it is not surprising that the men made up the bulk of those who died from the disease in the period from 1999 through 2001.

Some of the women who died from mesothelioma may have been exposed to asbestos in the environment, the study authors suggest. For example, wives may have come into contact with asbestos when their husbands brought asbestos home on their clothes and shoes. In one study of 1,664 asbestos factory employees and their families, five household members died of asbestos diseases, the researchers noted (Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1979; 330: 387–99).

There was also an elevated rate of mesothelioma deaths among schoolteachers, many of whom were female. Schools built between 1945 and 1973 are likely to include asbestos–containing materials. In 1982, the Environmental Protection Agency estimated that 8,600 schools contained loose asbestos and that 100,000 to 300,000 teachers could be exposed to airborne asbestos, according to the researchers.

Geographic Distribution of Mesothelioma

Coastal communities in California, Florida and New Jersey had elevated mesothelioma mortality rates. Somerset County, New Jersey had the highest rate, perhaps reflecting the manufacture of asbestos products in Manville, which is located in the county. A majority of mesothelioma deaths occurred in California (757), Florida (520), Pennsylvania (481), New York (453), Illinois (381), Texas (373), Ohio (347), New Jersey (316), Michigan (269), and Massachusetts (253).

The government did not begin to track mesothelioma as a separate cause of death until 1999, so earlier statistical studies are estimates. The present study may also have inaccuracies because it is often difficult to diagnose mesothelioma. Some cases labeled as other respiratory diseases may actually have been mesothelioma. (See Pleural Mesothelioma Diagnosis Can Be Complex for more information.)

The full text of the study can be found on the web site of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health. You will need to obtain a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader to open this file. If you do not already have this software, you may download a free copy at the Adobe Acrobat web site.

For further information about asbestos exposure, see Asbestos Exposure Can Lead to Mesothelioma. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, please feel free to contact us at Brayton Purcell to learn about your legal choices. We have been handling cases involving mesothelioma and asbestos exposure for over 20 years and can provide support, information, and excellent advocacy.