229605 Impact of occupational exposures on lung disease among former atomic energy workers and experiences with an occupational illness compensation program

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Jill K. Welch, MPH , Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA
Thomas Czeczok, BA , College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Marek Mikulski, MD, MPH , Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA
Carl Brown, MS , College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Valentina Clottey, MD, MPH , Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA
Christina J. Nichols , Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA
Nicholas A. Hoeger , Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA
Zheng Wang , Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA
Patrick Hartley, MB, BCh, MPH , Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA
Laurence Fuortes, MD, MS , Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA
  
Since the Manhattan Project, atomic energy scientists have been a highly exposed workforce due to processing and experimenting with many toxic chemicals and radioactive agents. Occupational exposures to beryllium, asbestos, uranium, plutonium, thorium and other toxins may be associated with an increased risk of lung disease. Spirometry testing has been administered to over 1,000 former AEC scientists from a site as part of the Department of Energy (DOE) Former Worker Medical Screening Program (FWP), which provides medical screenings to identify health conditions resulting from occupational exposures. Of the 1,116 spirometry tests, 4% revealed restrictive, 5% mixed and 14% obstructive airways physiology. The association of spirometric abnormalities with age, years worked and smoking will be evaluated in a multivariate logistic regression. Those with work-related pneumoconioses and radiogenic cancers detected through the FWP may be eligible to file for federal compensation through the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program (EEOICP). This presentation will report on EEOICP claims experiences of the former atomic energy workers from the site of interest.

Learning Areas:
Epidemiology
Occupational health and safety

Learning Objectives:
Discuss issues related to a medical screening and compensation program of former atomic energy workers for health effects of exposures from research and development of nuclear weapons

Keywords: Occupational Exposure, Occupational Disease

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I hold a degree in public health, and I am a part of the team that conducted the medical screenings results of which will be presented.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 2068.0: Occupational health and safety posters: Hazardous occupations