The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #57934

Arthur L. Frank, MD, PhD, Center for Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University School of Public Health, 245 N.15th Street, Mail Stop 660, Philadelphia, PA 19102, 215-762-3930, alf13@drexel.edu

Conducting occupational health research in developing countries poses special problems. Medical record keeping, quality of data, and access to data may all present special difficulties.Nevertheless there are valid reasons for conducting such research. This presentation will discuss special difficulties in conducting asbestos related research in China where the author has looked at problems pertaining to cancer hazards among women that cannot be studied in traditional Western populations, such as cervical and uterine cancer which have been suggested are related to asbestos, but has not been well studied.The quality of x-rays generally does not match what is available in the West,and are not taken on a regular basis. In spite of such difficulties there are valid reasons for conducting such research, and valuable information has been developed from such reseach done over the past decade. On-going collaboration with colleagues has been possible and has added to the scientific knowledge base.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the difficulties of conducting research in developing countries

Keywords: Occupational Health, Developing Countries

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.