Incidence of Cancer and Asbestos-Related Diseases among Residents Living near Abandoned Asbestos Mines in South Korea: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using National Health Insurance Database

Kyeongmin Kwak, Kyung Ehi Zoh and Domyung Paek
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Kyeongmin Kwak: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Ansan 15355, Korea
Kyung Ehi Zoh: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
Domyung Paek: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-15

Abstract: The use of asbestos has been banned since 2009 in South Korea. However, there is still a risk of exposure to environmental asbestos originating from abandoned asbestos mines. We constructed a retrospective dynamic cohort using the National Health Insurance Database of South Korea. We determined the risk of developing asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) among residents living near asbestos mines compared with those living in the control area and the general population. The risks of asbestosis (adjusted hazards ratio [HR] 65.40, 95% CI = 35.02–122.12) and pleural plaques (adjusted HR 3.55, 95% CI = 1.96–6.41) were significantly increased among residents living near the asbestos mines compared with the control area. The risk of malignant mesothelioma was increased near asbestos mines compared with the control area; however, it was not significant (adjusted HR 1.83, 95% CI = 0.61–5.47). When a separate analysis according to sex was conducted, the risk of mesothelioma among male residents was statistically significant (adjusted HR 8.30, 95% CI = 1.04–66.63), and the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) was significantly increased (SIR 3.48, 95% CI = 1.50–6.85). The risk of ARDs was increased due to environmental asbestos exposure near abandoned asbestos mines in South Korea.

Keywords: asbestos; environmental exposure; non-occupational exposure; asbestos mine; asbestos-related disease; cohort study; big data (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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