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Monday, 28 May 2012

A landmark study that found a ‘third wave' of asbestos-related cancer had emerged among home renovators has won the Medical Journal of Australia/Medical Defence Australia National Research Award for the best research article published in the journal in 2011.

The national award, which includes a $10,000 prize and plaque, was presented to the co-authors at the national Australian Medical Association Conference in Melbourne at the weekend.

The study, Increasing incidence of malignant mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos during home maintenance and renovation was a collaboration between UWA's School of Population Health, the Western Australian Institute of Medical Research (WAIMR), the department of Respiratory Medicine at the QEII Medical Centre and the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.

Co-author, Associate Professor Alison Reid, from WAIMR and UWA's School of Population Health, said researchers used the Western Australian Mesothelioma register to review all cases of malignant mesothelioma diagnosed in Western Australia from 1960 to the end of 2008.

"The types of renovation activities in the study included sanding asbestos cement walls in preparation for painting, lifting linoleum floors, extending laundries or ‘sleep outs' and using asbestos cement sheeting for putting up fences and sheds," Associate Professor Reid said.

The article outlined the incidence of the deadly disease in Australia, which has increased since the early 1960s.  The ‘first wave' of mesothelioma affected workers mining and milling asbestos while the ‘second wave' of the respiratory disease hit workers who used asbestos products in industry.

The researchers pointed to increasing concern about a ‘third wave' of people, particularly women, diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma after short term and/or low level exposure to asbestos during home maintenance and renovation.  These cases were said to be on an upward trend.

"Asbestos products were widely used in WA homes after World War II, so while it's not known exactly how many houses contain asbestos, it's not really surprising that people renovating or maintaining  houses built before 1965 are coming in contact with asbestos fibres or dust, particularly when using power tools," Associate Professor Reid said.

The authors predicted a further increase in cases of mesothelioma associated with home renovation in Western Australia, due to the long latency period between exposure and diagnosis of the disease.

Media references

Carolyn Monaghan (WAIMR Communications Manager)  (+61 4) 48 021 932
Michael Sinclair-Jones (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 3229  /  (+61 4) 00 700 783

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