Self-Reported Skin Rash or Irritation Symptoms Among World Trade Center Health Registry Participants

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cohen DE ; Cone, James E. ; Huang MJ ; Li J ; Liff J
• Description:
  Background: Mesothelioma is a rare and usually fatal cancer that affects the lining of the lungs or abdomen. Unlike lung cancer, which is primarily due to smoking, mesothelioma represents an almost unique "indicator" of previous asbestos exposure. In Minnesota, a regional two-fold excess of mesothelioma among males was first identified in 1997. The region where the excess occurred (NE Minnesota) is home to a variety of industries, including a ceiling tile manufacturing plant (Conwed) as well as Minnesota's iron mining industry. While a previous MDH study confirmed that Conwed workers were exposed to asbestos prior to 1974, previously published studies of iron miners did not report mesotheliomas. These findings led to state funding to examine the mesothelioma excess. Methods: Record linkage studies were initially conducted in 1998 utilizing the state cancer registry and rosters of Conwed workers and taconite miners. The roster of Conwed workers (N=5,200) had been created in a state-funded screening and notification program in 1988-93. The roster of taconite miners (N=72,000) was created in the early 1980's by the Univ. of Minnesota as part of an industry-wide study of taconite miners. Following the record linkage studies, job titles of miners with mesothelioma were evaluated for potential exposure to commercial asbestos. Record linkage studies were again conducted in 2006-2007 in preparation for additional studies. Results: The initial record linkage studies identified 17 cases of mesothelioma among former miners diagnosed in MN from 1988- 1996. 11 cases were identified among former Conwed workers. Commercial asbestos exposure was determined to be possible or probable for We described self-reported skin rash 2-3 and 5-6 years after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center (WTC) and examined its association with exposures to 9/11 dust/debris. Methods: We analyzed a longitudinal study of New York City WTC Health Registry participants in two surveys (W1 and W2) who resided or worked in Lower Manhattan or worked in rescue/recovery. Multivariate analysis, adjusted for demographics, smoking and source of enrollment, were performed using logistic regression. Results: Among 42,025 participants, 12% reported post-9/11 skin rash at W1, 6% both times, 16% at W2. Among participants without post-traumatic stress disorder or psychological distress, W1 self-reported post-9/11 skin rash was associated with intense dust cloud exposure (adjusted odds ratio=1.6; 95% CI=1.3-1.9), home/workplace damage (aOR=1.8; 1.4-2.3), and working >90 (aOR=1.7; 1.3-2.2) or 31-90 days (aOR=1.6; 1.3-2.1) at the WTC site. Conclusions: Post-9/11 skin rash may be related to acute and long-term exposure to dust, though subjectivity of skin symptoms may bias findings. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Occupational Health Safety September 11 Terrorist Attacks Skin
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Disasters Dermal Exposures Disaster Response Environmental Exposures Post-traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD Skin Exposure World Trade Center WTC
• Publisher:
  Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE)
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Georgia ; Nebraska ; New York ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 7
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20062362
• Citation:
  2012 CSTE Annual Conference, June 3-7, 2012, Omaha, Nebraska. Atlanta, GA: Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), 2012 Jun; :1330596
• Email:
  jli3@health.nyc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• Performing Organization:
  New York City Health/Mental Hygiene
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20090430
• Source Full Name:
  2012 CSTE Annual Conference, June 3-7, 2012, Omaha, Nebraska
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:8f7f52840cc9ff3b261555b60fb83ffb436a0c39fc6387502a86af82c2937f6d6aa733d679d6947035dccbc2a2df0ef72415ac63e9f364887c4cd95e169cf245
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/225628/cdc_225628_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 266.76 KB ]