267516 Epidemiological review of the health impacts in the global electronics industry

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM

Robert Harrison, MD, MPH , Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Califiornia, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Since the early 1980s, there has been a growing concern over the harmful health effects of production of electronic components (especially cancer and adverse reproductive outcomes). In response to the emergence of disturbing health patterns, several epidemiological studies have been conducted in the US, Scotland, Korea, and Taiwan. Although no consistent findings have been observed across studies, elevated risk for some types of cancer has been found: breast (Taiwan), lung (UK), brain and hematologic (US), and hematologic cancer (Korea). Regarding reproductive outcomes, menstrual cycle aberration, decreased fecundability and increase of spontaneous abortion have been consistently observed across studies in various designs. In addition, elevated risk of congenital anomalies and some cancer among offspring have been identified. International collaboration and in-person survey is required to overcome insufficient statistical power and to minimize information bias from the exclusive use of secondary data. Review of available corporate data is vital to ensure transparency and optimize study results. In addition, workers' participation in planning and conducting studies should be undertaken to improve our understanding of working conditions.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Epidemiology
Occupational health and safety
Public health or related public policy
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate the status of the epidemiologic research conducted in the global electronics industry, particularly in the US, Korea and Taiwan Discuss which toxic chemicals workers are being exposed to and what is being done in attempts to prevent chronic illness in the electronics industry

Keywords: Epidemiology, Occupational Disease

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am an occupational health physician with many years experience in treating and evaluating electronics workers who have been exposed to toxic chemicals on the job.
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.