Abstract
To determine whether there were previously unrecognized sources of asbestos exposure in British Columbia, incident mesothelioma cases (n=51) and population-based controls (n=154) were interviewed about their occupational histories and asbestos exposures. The following occupations were at elevated risk: sheet metal workers (OR=9.6, 95% CI: 1.5–106), plumbers and pipefitters (OR=8.3, 95% CI: 1.5–86), shipbuilding workers (OR=5.0, 95% CI: 1.2–23), painters (OR=4.5, 95% CI: 1.0–24), welders (OR=3.9, 95% CI: 0.8–22), gardeners (OR=3.9, 95% CI: 0.8–22), bricklayers (OR=3.5, 95% CI: 0.9–14), miners (OR=3.4, 95% CI: 0.9–13), machinists (OR=3.2, 95% CI: 1.0–11), construction foremen (OR=3.1, 95% CI: 0.9–11), and electricians (OR = 3.0, 95% CI: 0.8–12). In a reanalysis excluding subjects who worked in occupations or processes considered strongly a priori at risk, three groups remained of interest: non-asbestos miners (OR=9.6, 95% CI: 1.8–53), bricklayers (OR=5.4, 95%CI: 1.0–28), and construction labourers (OR=2.8, 95% CI: 0.7–10.6).
Résumé
Pour déterminer l’existence ou non de sources antérieures non identifiées d’exposition à l’amiante en Colombie-Britannique, on a fait passer des interviews à des personnes atteintes de mésothéliome (n = 51) et à des témoins représentatifs (n = 154) au sujet de leurs antécédents de travail et de leur exposition à l’amiante. Les professions suivantes sont apparues comme présentant un risque élevé: ouvriers tôliers (RR = 9.6, 95% IC: 1.5–106), plombiers et tuyauteurs (RR = 5.0, 95% IC: 1.2–23), peintres (RR = 4.5, 95% IC: 1.0–24), soudeurs (RR = 5.0, 95% IC: 0.8–22), jardiniers (RR = 3.9, 95% IC: 0.8–22), briqueteurs (RR = 3.5, 95% IC: 0.9–14), mineurs (RR = 3.4, 95% IC: 0.9–13), machinistes (RR = 3.2, 95% IC: 1.0–11), contremaîtres de construction (RR = 3.1, 95% IC: 0.9–11) et électriciens (RR = 3.0, 95% IC: 0.8–12). Une nouvelle analyse, excluant cette fois les sujets ayant exercé des métiers ou effectué des activités considérés a priori comme présentant un risque élevé, a fait ressortir trois groupes: les mineurs dans un secteur autre que l’amiante (RR = 9.6, 95% IC: 1.8–53), les briqueteurs (RR = 5.4, 95% IC: 1.0–28) et les manoeuvres d’entreprises de construction (RR = 2.8, 95% IC: 0.7–10.6).
Footnotes
This study was supported by the British Columbia Health Research Foundation.
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