Last data update: Apr 22, 2024. (Total: 46599 publications since 2009)
Records 1-19 (of 19 Records) |
Query Trace: Anderson JL [original query] |
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Cohort profile: Four early uranium processing facilities in the US and Canada
Golden AP , Milder CM , Ellis ED , Anderson JL , Boice JDJr , Bertke SJ , Zablotska LB . Int J Radiat Biol 2021 97 (6) 1-33 PURPOSE: Risks of occupational radiation exposures of workers involved in uranium refining and processing ("uranium processing workers") may be different from risks of other workers from the nuclear fuel cycle. Pooling of individual-level data from published studies and analysis using similar dosimetry and statistical methods might provide valuable insights into risks from occupational uranium and external ionizing radiation exposures. METHODS: We pooled the data for workers from four uranium processing facilities (Fernald Feed Materials Production Center, Ohio; Mallinckrodt Chemical Works Uranium Division, Missouri; Middlesex Sampling Plant, New Jersey; and the Port Hope Radium and Uranium Refining and Processing Plant, Canada). Employment began as early as the 1930s in Canada and follow-up for vital status was as late as 2017. These facilities used similar methods to process Belgian Congo pitchblende ore which contained high concentrations of uranium, radium, and their decay products. In addition, workers were exposed to elevated levels of gamma radiation, fission product contaminants in recycled uranium and ambient radon decay products. Non-radiation exposures of industrial hygiene concern were silica dust inhalation, heavy metal toxicity from uranium, solvents, acid mists and chemicals associated with uranium processing. Exposure and outcome data were harmonized using similar definitions and dose reconstruction methods. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were estimated by comparing mortality in the pooled cohort with age-, sex- and calendar time-specific general population mortality rates for the U.S. and Canada. RESULTS: Over 12,400 workers will be evaluated for cancer and non-cancer mortality in relation to exposures to uranium byproducts and gamma radiation (including ∼1,300 females). In total, death from 560 lung cancers, 503 nonmalignant respiratory diseases, 67 renal diseases, 1,596 ischemic heart diseases, and 101 dementia and Alzheimer's diseases (AD) were detected among male workers during follow-up. Mean cumulative doses were 45 millisievert for whole-body external exposures and 172 milligray for lung dose from radon decay products. Of the 16 pooled SMRs, seven were above 1.00, none were significantly low, and only one was significantly high, i.e., dementia and AD among males (SMR =1.29; 95% confidence interval: 1.04,1.54). CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest study to date to examine health risks in uranium processing workers (excluding uranium enrichment workers). The pooling of uranium processing worker data will address issues of importance today, specifically the concerns for cleanup workers and environmental contamination from the operation of past and present nuclear reactor and radiation facilities, reactor accidents, and possible terrorist events. |
Exposure to radon and progeny in a tourist cavern
Anderson JL , Zwack LM , Brueck SE . Health Phys 2021 120 (6) 628-634 The primary objective of this work was to characterize employee exposure to radon and progeny while performing guide/interpretation and concessions duties in a tourist cavern. Radon gas and progeny concentrations, fraction of unattached progeny, and other environmental parameters were evaluated in a popular tourist cavern in Southeastern New Mexico. Alpha-track detectors were used to measure radon gas in several cavern locations during a 9-mo period. Additionally, radon gas and attached and unattached fractions of radon progeny were measured at three primary cavern work locations during a 1-d period using a SARAD EQF 3220. Radon gas concentrations in the cavern were elevated due to extremely low air exchange rates with substantial seasonal variation. Mean measured radon concentrations ranged from 970 to 2,600 Bq m-3 in the main cavern and from 5,400 to 6,000 Bq m-3 in a smaller cave associated with the regional cave system. Measurements of unattached fractions (0.40-0.60) were higher than those commonly found in mines and other workplaces, leading to the potential for relatively high worker dose. Although radon gas concentrations were below the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Permissible Exposure Limit, employees working in the cavern have the potential to accrue ionizing radiation dose in excess of the annual effective dose limit recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements due to a high unattached fraction of radon progeny. There was a strong negative correlation between unattached fractions and equilibrium factors, but these parameters should be further evaluated for seasonal variation. Introduction of engineering controls such as ventilation could damage the cavern environment, so administrative controls, such as time management, are preferred to reduce employee dose. |
Ischaemic heart and cerebrovascular disease mortality in uranium enrichment workers
Anderson JL , Bertke SJ , Yiin J , Kelly-Reif K , Daniels RD . Occup Environ Med 2020 78 (2) 105-111 OBJECTIVE: Linear and non-linear dose-response relationships between radiation absorbed dose to the lung from internally deposited uranium and external sources and circulatory system disease (CSD) mortality were examined in a cohort of 23 731 male and 5552 female US uranium enrichment workers. METHODS: Rate ratios (RRs) for categories of lung dose and linear excess relative rates (ERRs) per unit lung dose were estimated to evaluate the associations between lung absorbed dose and death from ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and cerebrovascular disease. RESULTS: There was a suggestion of modestly increased IHD risk in workers with internal uranium lung dose above 1 milligray (mGy) (RR=1.4, 95% CI 0.76 to 2.3) and a statistically significantly increased IHD risk with external dose exceeding 150 mGy (RR=1.3, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.6) compared with the lowest exposed groups. ERRs per milligray were positive for IHD and uranium internal dose and for both outcomes per gray external dose, although the CIs generally included the null. CONCLUSIONS: Non-linear dose-response models using restricted cubic splines revealed sublinear responses at lower internal doses, suggesting that linear models that are common in radioepidemiological cancer studies may poorly describe the association between uranium internal dose and CSD mortality. |
Radiation exposure of workers and volunteers in shelters and community reception centers in the aftermath of a nuclear detonation
Anderson JL , Failla G , Finklea LR , Charp P , Ansari AJ . Health Phys 2019 116 (5) 619-624 After a nuclear detonation, workers and volunteers providing first aid, decontamination, and population monitoring in public shelters and community reception centers will potentially be exposed to radiation from people they are assisting who may be contaminated with radioactive fallout. A state-of-the-art computer-aided design program and radiation transport modeling software were used to estimate external radiation dose to workers in three different exposure scenarios: performing radiation surveys/decontamination, first aid, and triage duties. Calculated dose rates were highest for workers performing radiation surveys due to the relative proximity to the contaminated individual. Estimated cumulative doses were nontrivial but below the occupational dose limit established for normal operations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. |
Dose-response relationships between internally-deposited uranium and select health outcomes in gaseous diffusion plant workers, 1948-2011
Yiin JH , Anderson JL , Bertke SJ , Tollerud DJ . Am J Ind Med 2018 61 (7) 605-614 OBJECTIVE: To examine dose-response relationships between internal uranium exposures and select outcomes among a cohort of uranium enrichment workers. METHODS: Cox regression was conducted to examine associations between selected health outcomes and cumulative internal uranium with consideration for external ionizing radiation, work-related medical X-rays and contaminant radionuclides technetium ((99) Tc) and plutonium ((239) Pu) as potential confounders. RESULTS: Elevated and monotonically increasing mortality risks were observed for kidney cancer, chronic renal diseases, and multiple myeloma, and the association with internal uranium absorbed organ dose was statistically significant for multiple myeloma. Adjustment for potential confounders had minimal impact on the risk estimates. CONCLUSION: Kidney cancer, chronic renal disease, and multiple myeloma mortality risks were elevated with increasing internal uranium absorbed organ dose. The findings add to evidence of an association between internal exposure to uranium and cancer. Future investigation includes a study of cancer incidence in this cohort. |
Melanoma, thyroid cancer, and gynecologic cancers in a cohort of female flight attendants
Pinkerton LE , Hein MJ , Anderson JL , Christianson A , Little MP , Sigurdson AJ , Schubauer-Berigan MK . Am J Ind Med 2018 61 (7) 572-581 BACKGROUND: Flight attendants may have an increased risk of some cancers from occupational exposure to cosmic radiation and circadian disruption. METHODS: The incidence of thyroid, ovarian, and uterine cancer among approximately 6000 female flight attendants compared to the US population was evaluated via life table analyses. Associations of these cancers, melanoma, and cervical cancer with cumulative cosmic radiation dose and metrics of circadian disruption were evaluated using Cox regression. RESULTS: Incidence of thyroid, ovarian, and uterine cancer was not elevated. No significant, positive exposure-response relations were observed. Weak, non-significant, positive relations were observed for thyroid cancer with cosmic radiation and time zones crossed and for melanoma with another metric of circadian disruption. CONCLUSIONS: We found little evidence of increased risk of these cancers from occupational cosmic radiation or circadian disruption in female flight attendants. Limitations include few observed cases of some cancers, limited data on risk factors, and misclassification of exposures. |
Exposure to recycled uranium contaminants in gaseous diffusion plants
Anderson JL , Apostoaei AI , Yiin JH , Tseng CY . Radiat Prot Dosimetry 2017 175 (4) 503-507 As part of an ongoing study of health effects in a pooled cohort of gaseous diffusion plant workers, organ dose from internal exposure to uranium was evaluated. Due to the introduction of recycled uranium into the plants, there was also potential for exposure to radiologically significant levels of 99Tc, 237Np and 238,239Pu. In the evaluation of dose response, these radionuclide exposures could confound the effect of internal uranium. Using urine bioassay data for study subjects reported in facility records, intakes and absorbed dose to bone surface, red bone marrow and kidneys were estimated as these organs were associated with a priori outcomes of interest. Additionally, 99Tc intakes and doses were calculated using a new systemic model for technetium and compared to intakes and doses calculated using the current model recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Organ absorbed doses for the transuranics were significant compared to uranium doses; however, 99Tc doses calculated using the new systemic model were significant as well. Use of the new model resulted in an increase in 99Tc-related absorbed organ dose of a factor of 8 (red bone marrow) to 30 (bone surface). |
Mortality in a combined cohort of uranium enrichment workers
Yiin JH , Anderson JL , Daniels RD , Bertke SJ , Fleming DA , Tollerud DJ , Tseng CY , Chen PH , Waters KM . Am J Ind Med 2016 60 (1) 96-108 OBJECTIVE: To examine the patterns of cause-specific mortality and relationship between internal exposure to uranium and specific causes in a pooled cohort of 29,303 workers employed at three former uranium enrichment facilities in the United States with follow-up through 2011. METHODS: Cause-specific standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for the full cohort were calculated with the U.S. population as referent. Internal comparison of the dose-response relation between selected outcomes and estimated organ doses was evaluated using regression models. RESULTS: External comparison with the U.S. population showed significantly lower SMRs in most diseases in the pooled cohort. Internal comparison showed positive associations of absorbed organ doses with multiple myeloma, and to a lesser degree with kidney cancer. CONCLUSION: In general, these gaseous diffusion plant workers had significantly lower SMRs than the U.S. POPULATION: The internal comparison however, showed associations between internal organ doses and diseases associated with uranium exposure in previous studies. |
Breast cancer incidence among female flight attendants: Exposure-response analyses
Pinkerton LE , Hein MJ , Anderson JL , Little MP , Sigurdson AJ , Schubauer-Berigan MK . Scand J Work Environ Health 2016 42 (6) 538-546 OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the association of breast cancer incidence with cosmic radiation dose and circadian rhythm disruption in a cohort of 6093 US female flight attendants. METHODS: The association of breast cancer risk with cumulative cosmic radiation dose, time spent working during the standard sleep interval, and time zones crossed (all lagged by ten years), adjusted for non-occupational breast cancer risk factors, was evaluated using Cox regression. Individual exposure estimates were derived from work history data and domicile- and era-specific exposure estimates. Breast cancers were identified from telephone interviews and state cancer registries, and covariate data were obtained from telephone interviews. RESULTS: Breast cancer incidence in the overall cohort was not associated with exposure. Positive associations in breast cancer incidence were observed with all three exposures only among the 884 women with parity of ≥3. Adjusted excess relative risks for women with parity of ≥3 were 1.6 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.14-6.6], 0.99 (95% CI -0.04-4.3), and 1.5 (95% CI 0.14-6.2) per 10 mGy, per 2000 hours spent working in the standard sleep interval, and per 4600 time zones crossed (the approximate means of the fourth exposure quintiles among breast cancer cases), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Positive exposure-response relations, although observed only in a small subset of the cohort, were robust. Future studies of breast cancer incidence among other workers with circadian rhythm disruption should assess interaction with parity to see if our findings are confirmed. |
Internal exposure to uranium in a pooled cohort of gaseous diffusion plant workers
Anderson JL , Apostoaei AI , Yiin JH , Fleming DA , Tseng CY , Chen PH . Radiat Prot Dosimetry 2015 168 (4) 471-7 Intakes and absorbed organ doses were estimated for 29 303 workers employed at three former US gaseous diffusion plants as part of a study of cause-specific mortality and cancer incidence in uranium enrichment workers. Uranium urinalysis data (>600 000 urine samples) were available for 58 % of the pooled cohort. Facility records provided uranium gravimetric and radioactivity concentration data and allowed estimation of enrichment levels of uranium to which workers may have been exposed. Urine data were generally recorded with facility department numbers, which were also available in study subjects' work histories. Bioassay data were imputed for study subjects with no recorded sample results (33 % of pooled cohort) by assigning department average urine uranium concentration. Gravimetric data were converted to 24-h uranium activity excretion using department average specific activities. Intakes and organ doses were calculated assuming chronic exposure by inhalation to a 5-microm activity median aerodynamic diameter aerosol of soluble uranium. Median intakes varied between 0.31 and 0.74 Bq d-1 for the three facilities. Median organ doses for the three facilities varied between 0.019 and 0.051, 0.68 and 1.8, 0.078 and 0.22, 0.28 and 0.74, and 0.094 and 0.25 mGy for lung, bone surface, red bone marrow, kidneys, and liver, respectively. Estimated intakes and organ doses for study subjects with imputed bioassay data were similar in magnitude. |
Method for analyzing left-censored bioassay data in large cohort studies
Anderson JL , Apostoaei AI . J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 2015 27 (1) 1-6 In retrospective epidemiological studies of large cohorts of workers exposed to radioactive materials, it is often necessary to analyze large numbers of bioassay data sets containing censored values, or values recorded as less than a detection limit. Censored bioassay data create problems for all bioassay analysis methods, including analytical techniques based on least-squares regression to estimate intakes. A method is presented here that uses a simple empirically-derived equation for imputing replacement values for urine uranium concentration results reported as zero or less than a detection limit, that produces minimal bias in intakes estimated using least-square regression methods with the assumption of lognormally distributed measurement errors. |
Breast cancer incidence in a cohort of U.S. flight attendants
Schubauer-Berigan MK , Anderson JL , Hein MJ , Little MP , Sigurdson AJ , Pinkerton LE . Am J Ind Med 2015 58 (3) 252-66 BACKGROUND: Flight attendants may have elevated breast cancer incidence (BCI). We evaluated BCI's association with cosmic radiation dose and circadian rhythm disruption among 6,093 female former U.S. flight attendants. METHODS: We collected questionnaire data on BCI and risk factors for breast cancer from 2002-2005. We conducted analyses to evaluate (i) BCI in the cohort compared to the U.S. population; and (ii) exposure-response relations. We applied an indirect adjustment to estimate whether parity and age at first birth (AFB) differences between the cohort and U.S. population could explain BCI that differed from expectation. RESULTS: BCI was elevated but may be explained by lower parity and older AFB in the cohort than among U.S. women. BCI was not associated with exposure metrics in the cohort overall. Significant positive associations with both were observed only among women with parity of three or more. CONCLUSIONS: Future cohort analyses may be informative on the role of these occupational exposures and non-occupational risk factors. |
Miscarriage among flight attendants
Grajewski B , Whelan EA , Lawson CC , Hein MJ , Waters MA , Anderson JL , MacDonald LA , Mertens CJ , Tseng CY , Cassinelli RT 2nd , Luo L . Epidemiology 2015 26 (2) 192-203 BACKGROUND: Cosmic radiation and circadian disruption are potential reproductive hazards for flight attendants. METHODS: Flight attendants from 3 US airlines in 3 cities were interviewed for pregnancy histories and lifestyle, medical, and occupational covariates. We assessed cosmic radiation and circadian disruption from company records of 2 million individual flights. Using Cox regression models, we compared respondents (1) by levels of flight exposures and (2) to teachers from the same cities, to evaluate whether these exposures were associated with miscarriage. RESULTS: Of 2654 women interviewed (2273 flight attendants and 381 teachers), 958 pregnancies among 764 women met study criteria. A hypothetical pregnant flight attendant with median first-trimester exposures flew 130 hours in 53 flight segments, crossed 34 time zones, and flew 15 hours during her home-base sleep hours (10 pm-8 am), incurring 0.13 mGy absorbed dose (0.36 mSv effective dose) of cosmic radiation. About 2% of flight attendant pregnancies were likely exposed to a solar particle event, but doses varied widely. Analyses suggested that cosmic radiation exposure of 0.1 mGy or more may be associated with increased risk of miscarriage in weeks 9-13 (odds ratio = 1.7 [95% confidence interval = 0.95-3.2]). Risk of a first-trimester miscarriage with 15 hours or more of flying during home-base sleep hours was increased (1.5 [1.1-2.2]), as was risk with high physical job demands (2.5 [1.5-4.2]). Miscarriage risk was not increased among flight attendants compared with teachers. CONCLUSIONS: Miscarriage was associated with flight attendant work during sleep hours and high physical job demands and may be associated with cosmic radiation exposure. |
Flight attendant radiation dose from solar particle events
Anderson JL , Mertens CJ , Grajewski B , Luo LA , Tseng CY , Cassinelli RT . Aviat Space Environ Med 2014 85 (8) 828-832 INTRODUCTION: Research has suggested that work as a flight attendant may be related to increased risk for reproductive health effects. Air cabin exposures that may influence reproductive health include radiation dose from galactic cosmic radiation and solar particle events. This paper describes the assessment of radiation dose accrued during solar particle events as part of a reproductive health study of flight attendants. METHODS: Solar storm data were obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center list of solar proton events affecting the Earth environment to ascertain storms relevant to the two study periods (1992-1996 and 1999-2001). Radiation dose from exposure to solar energetic particles was estimated using the NAIRAS model in conjunction with galactic cosmic radiation dose calculated using the CARI-6P computer program. RESULTS: Seven solar particle events were determined to have potential for significant radiation exposure, two in the first study period and five in the second study period, and over-lapped with 24,807 flight segments. Absorbed (and effective) flight segment doses averaged 6.5 mu Gy (18 mu Sv) and 3.1 mu Gy (8.3 mu Sv) for the first and second study periods, respectively. Maximum doses were as high as 440 mu Gy (1.2 mSv) and 20 flight segments had doses greater than 190 mu Gy (0.5 mSv). DISCUSSION: During solar particle events, a pregnant flight attendant could potentially exceed the equivalent dose limit to the conceptus of 0.5 mSv in a month recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. |
Mortality among a cohort of U.S. commercial airline cockpit crew
Yong LC , Pinkerton LE , Yiin JH , Anderson JL , Deddens JA . Am J Ind Med 2014 57 (8) 906-14 BACKGROUND: We evaluated mortality among 5,964 former U.S. commercial cockpit crew (pilots and flight engineers). The outcomes of a priori interest were non-chronic lymphocytic leukemia, central nervous system (CNS) cancer (including brain), and malignant melanoma. METHODS: Vital status was ascertained through 2008. Life table and Cox regression analyses were conducted. Cumulative exposure to cosmic radiation was estimated from work history data. RESULTS: Compared to the U.S. general population, mortality from all causes, all cancer, and cardiovascular diseases was decreased, but mortality from aircraft accidents was highly elevated. Mortality was elevated for malignant melanoma but not for non-chronic lymphocytic leukemia. CNS cancer mortality increased with an increase in cumulative radiation dose. CONCLUSIONS: Cockpit crew had a low all-cause, all-cancer, and cardiovascular disease mortality but elevated aircraft accident mortality. Further studies are needed to clarify the risk of CNS and other radiation-associated cancers in relation to cosmic radiation and other workplace exposures. |
Mortality and ionising radiation exposures among workers employed at the Fernald Feed Materials Production Center (1951-1985)
Silver SR , Bertke SJ , Hein MJ , Daniels RD , Fleming DA , Anderson JL , Pinney SM , Hornung RW , Tseng CY . Occup Environ Med 2013 70 (7) 453-63 OBJECTIVES: To examine mortality patterns and dose-response relations between ionising radiation and mortality outcomes of a priori interest in 6409 uranium workers employed for at least 30 days (1951-1985), and followed through 2004. METHODS: Cohort mortality was evaluated through standardised mortality ratios (SMR). Linear excess relative risk (ERR) regression models examined associations between cause-specific mortality and exposures to internal ionising radiation from uranium deposition, external gamma and x-ray radiation, and radon decay products, while adjusting for non-radiologic covariates. RESULTS: Person-years at risk totalled 236,568 (mean follow-up 37 years), and 43% of the cohort had died. All-cause mortality was below expectation only in salaried workers. Cancer mortality was significantly elevated in hourly males, primarily from excess lung cancer (SMR=1.25, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.42). Cancer mortality in salaried males was near expectation, but lymphohaematopoietic malignancies were significantly elevated (SMR=1.52, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.12). A positive dose-response relation was observed for intestinal cancer, with a significant elevation in the highest internal organ dose category and a significant dose-response with organ dose from internal uranium deposition (ERR=1.5 per 100 muGy, 95% CI 0.12 to 4.1). CONCLUSIONS: A healthy worker effect was observed only in salaried workers. Hourly workers had excess cancer mortality compared with the US population, although there was little evidence of a dose-response trend for any cancer evaluated except intestinal cancer. The association between non-malignant respiratory disease and radiation dose observed in previous studies was not apparent, possibly due to improved exposure assessment, different outcome groupings, and extended follow-up. |
Estimation of internal exposure to uranium with uncertainty from urinalysis data using the InDEP computer code
Anderson JL , Apostoaei AI , Thomas BA . Radiat Prot Dosimetry 2012 153 (1) 64-73 The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is currently studying mortality in a cohort of 6409 workers at a former uranium processing facility. As part of this study, over 220,000 urine samples were used to reconstruct organ doses due to internal exposure to uranium. Most of the available computational programs designed for analysis of bioassay data handle a single case at a time, and thus require a significant outlay of time and resources for the exposure assessment of a large cohort. NIOSH is currently supporting the development of a computer program, InDEP (Internal Dose Evaluation Program), to facilitate internal radiation exposure assessment as part of epidemiological studies of both uranium- and plutonium-exposed cohorts. A novel feature of InDEP is its batch processing capability which allows for the evaluation of multiple study subjects simultaneously. InDEP analyses bioassay data and derives intakes and organ doses with uncertainty estimates using least-squares regression techniques or using the Bayes' Theorem as applied to internal dosimetry (Bayesian method). This paper describes the application of the current version of InDEP to formulate assumptions about the characteristics of exposure at the study facility that were used in a detailed retrospective intake and organ dose assessment of the cohort. |
Exposure assessment for a cohort of workers at a former uranium processing facility
Anderson JL , Daniels RD , Fleming DA , Tseng CY . J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 2012 22 (4) 324-30 Exposure was assessed for a cohort of 6409 workers at a former uranium processing facility as part of a mortality study. Workers at the facility had potential for exposure to a wide variety of radiological and chemical agents including uranium, thorium, radon, external ionizing radiation, acid mists, asbestos, and various solvents. Organ dose from internal exposure to uranium was assessed, along with dose from external ionizing radiation and exposure to radon. Qualitative assessment of exposure to thorium, acid mists, asbestos, coal dust, welding fumes, and other chemicals was also performed. Mean cumulative organ dose from internal uranium exposure ranged from 1.1 mGy (lung) to 6.7 mcGy (pancreas). Mean cumulative external ionizing radiation dose was 13.4 mGy. Mean cumulative radon exposure was 26 working level months (WLMs). The chemical agents to which the largest numbers of study subjects were exposed were acid mists, machining fluids, and a tributyl phosphate/kerosene mixture used in the refining process. |
Assessment of occupational cosmic radiation exposure of flight attendants using questionnaire data
Anderson JL , Waters MA , Hein MJ , Schubauer-Berigan MK , Pinkerton LE . Aviat Space Environ Med 2011 82 (11) 1049-1054 INTRODUCTION: Female flight attendants may have a higher risk of breast and other cancers than the general population because of routine exposure to cosmic radiation. As part of a forthcoming study of breast and other cancer incidence, occupational cosmic radiation exposure of a cohort of female flight attendants was estimated. METHODS: Questionnaire data were collected from living female cohort members who were formerly employed as flight attendants with Pan American World Airways. These data included airline at which the flight attendant was employed, assigned domicile, start and end dates for employment at domicile, and number of block hours and commuter segments flown per month. Questionnaire respondents were assigned daily absorbed and effective doses using a time-weighted dose rate specific to the domicile and/or work history era combined with self-reported work history information. RESULTS: Completed work history questionnaires were received from 5898 living cohort members. Mean employment time as a flight attendant was 7.4 yr at Pan Am and 12 yr in total. Estimated mean annual effective dose from all sources of occupational cosmic radiation exposure was 2.5 +/- 1.0 mSv, with a mean career dose of 30 mSv. DISCUSSION: Annual effective doses were similar to doses assessed for other flight attendant cohorts; however, questionnaire-based cumulative doses assessed in this study were on average higher than those assessed for other flight attendant cohorts using company-based records. The difference is attributed to the inclusion of dose from work at other airlines and commuter flights, which was made possible by using questionnaire data. |
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