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The estimated number of people who died from Mesothelioma in Indiana was 58 in 1999. This figure can be inaccurate depending on the fact that symptoms of Mesothelioma are very late in appearing and take about 20-20 years. Thus, it can be the case that a large number of people were diagnosed with this fatal disease after the report was compiled.
A rare form of cancer, Mesothelioma attacks the Mesothelium, the protective sac which covers most of the internal organs of the body. The two most common types of Mesothelioma are peritoneal Mesothelioma when Mesothelioma attacks the lining of the stomach and pleural Mesothelioma which attacks the lining of the lungs. There is no cure for this cancer and in most of the cases it proves fatal with the patient dying within 16-18 months after it is diagnosed. On the other hand, it is a 100% preventable cancer which can be avoided by wearing protective gear and masks when working with asbestos.
All the people who develop Mesothelioma had some kind of exposure to Mesothelioma. People working in construction, shipyard, dockyard, insulation, automobile industry, asbestos mines, mills and factories are most vulnerable to Mesothelioma. Also, people who inhale asbestos from clothes, shoes or hair of those working in such industries can get Mesothelioma. The asbestos particles can be inhaled over a period of time which can cause Mesothelioma. To reduce the chances of exposing other people to asbestos, people working with asbestos are now required to shower and change their clothing before leaving their workplaces.
According to researches, there has been an increase in Mesothelioma incidents rates within the last 2 decades with 2,000 new cases being diagnosed. It has also been noted that this disease can appear at any age and occurs more often among men. The risk factor gets high if they worked in asbestos industries before 1989 when there were no government regulations or safety standards in place.
Mesothelioma in Indiana
Below are the figures for the number of deaths, mortality rate (per million population), and years of potential life lost (YPLL) in Indiana State in the year 1999, among residents aged 15 years and older.
State |
|
Crude Mortality |
Rate |
Rank |
|
Age-Adjusted Mortality |
Rate |
Rank |
|
VYLL to life Expectancy |
Total |
Rank |
VYLL/death |
Rank |
|
Indiana |
58 |
14 |
12.40 |
25 |
12.53 |
22 |
916 |
13 |
15.8 |
10 |
38 shipments (1,111 tons) of Vermiculite, contaminated with asbestos were transferred from Libby, Montana to Shoals, Hammond, Frankfort and Indianapolis. According to statistics, more than 550 people have been killed by asbestos related diseases in Indiana since 1979. To exfoliate this ore, huge amounts of asbestos was released into the atmosphere and surrounding areas. All those people living in such conditions were diagnosed with Mesothelioma as they were exposed to asbestos particles. |
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