In What Montana Industries did Mesothelioma Patents Work?

Asbestos exposure is the leading factor in developing mesothelioma, and it is believed that many Montana residents with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos, possibly on their jobs, in the industries in which they worked or in other aspects of their lives.

The Montana Tumor and Death Registries do not collect detailed histories on exposure, employment, or housing. However, the primary industry in which a person worked is recorded at the time of death or diagnosis. This refers to one of the many possible employment areas in which a person may have worked during a lifetime. While these industries may not indicate the source of asbestos exposure in all cases, they may help uncover useful patterns relating to employment and exposure potential.

The primary industries reported among mesothelioma patients in Montana were similar to the industries reported for a study of people who died of mesothelioma from 19 states in 1999. The industry named most often for both groups was construction. Homemaking was also high on both lists.

Although the numbers are relatively small, Montanans with mesothelioma tended to work in government, agriculture, or with the railroads in larger proportions than in the multi-state sample.

Mining was captured under "other industries" in the multi-state group, but could be identified separately on Montana records. Eight (4%) of the Montana mesothelioma patients had mining listed as their primary industry.

Industry was unknown for a large proportion (12%) of the Montana patients. Industry comparisons only provide clues to a possible source of exposure; in-depth residential and employment histories are needed to determine where and when asbestos exposure may have occurred.