Did you know that malignant mesothelioma caused or contributed to more than 45,000 deaths in the U.S. between 1999 and 2015? This is despite the fact that asbestos, the only known cause of mesothelioma, is regulated at the federal level, with many states administering their own supplementary asbestos laws and programs. Now, the CDC says that some states seem to have higher death rates than others do. At the top of the list are Maine and Washington State.
In a March 2017 report calling fresh attention to the dangers of asbestos, CDC researchers found that during the 16-year period ending in 2015, “the annual death rate from malignant mesothelioma in Maine was 22.06 per million people. This was higher than in any other state. Washington State was the only other state that reported death rates exceeding 20 per million annually.
Researchers found that sixteen other states also had high death rates, though they did not exceed 20. These high-risk states include Alaska, Delaware, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Virginia. The states with the ‘lowest’ reported death rates were Alabama, Arkansas, D.C., Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. The remaining states reported mesothelioma death rates ranging from 10 to 15 per million.
Whether they are considered low or high, the CDC says that the overall number of deaths occurring nationwide is disturbing. Across the country, 45,221 people died from mesothelioma between 1999 and 2015. “That’s an increase of 4.8 percent during those years,” says the CDC.
Researchers determined that despite regulatory actions and decline in asbestos use, “the continuing occurrence of malignant mesothelioma deaths underscores the need for maintaining asbestos exposure prevention efforts and for ongoing surveillance."
If you have been exposed to asbestos, see your doctor right away. Studies show that early diagnosis of asbestos-related disease such as malignant mesothelioma increases treatment options. This could greatly improve your chances of long-term survival.
Sources
Farwell, Jackie. “Maine’s Rate of Asbestos Deaths is Highest in Nation.” BDN Maine – Health. Bangor Daily News, 20 Apr. 2017. Web. 09 Oct. 2017.
Hersher, Rebecca. "Asbestos Deaths Remain A Public Health Concern, CDC Finds." NPR. NPR: National Public Radio, 11 Apr. 2017. Web. 27 Sept. 2017.
"Malignant Mesothelioma Mortality — United States, 1999–2015." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 01 Aug. 2017. Web. 27 Sept. 2017.
