A model for occupational health studies at sensitive federal facilities: The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant

Study Background: In a collaborative effort between the University of Louisville, the University of Kentucky and the University of Cincinnati, the authors are conducting a retrospective occupational cohort mortality study of workers from the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) for 1953 to 2003. PGDP's primary function has been to produce enriched uranium for use by commercial reactors. The objective of this study is to determine if PGDP workers have a fatality rate that exceeds that of the general population, particularly for cancer.

Population Studied: To date, the group has compiled an occupational cohort of 6859 workers, attaining vital status on 99%. Of those confirmed dead, underlying cause of death has been obtained for 97.4%, exceeding original expectations.

Data Analysis: The data analysis will include an all-cause life table analysis (LTAS) and a longitudinal modeling approach for specific cancers of interest. The LTAS data format is compatible with the NDI reports by specific cause and date of death for insertion into the LTAS ICD-specific actuarial analyses. For our analysis, we will apply U.S. mortality rates as external comparisons.

Conclusion: After September 11, 2001, policy shifts occurred within the federal government that had dramatic impact on studies of sites classified as sensitive, such as uranium enrichment plants. This presentation will present a model for a long-term occupational cohort study at such a site, the Paducah Gasseous Diffusion Plant located in Paducah, KY, and present solutions to common policy and regulation barriers surrounding such studies.