STATE MESOTHELIOMA
MORTALITY RATE
Maine leads the pack in per capita deaths, says NIOSH
Latest government data on state mesothelioma mortality rates
May 28, 2009 – According to the most complete government figures available on the nation’s mesothelioma mortality rate, six states lead all others in per capita asbestos-related deaths.
Maine tops the list. The state’s high rate of per capita mesothelioma mortalities is due to a smaller population, its blue-collar worker-based economy, and the large number of older buildings that were rehabbed for residential use, rather than being destroyed.
NIOSH analyzed state death records
The new statistics come from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which analyzed annual multiple-cause-of-death records for 1999-2005. It should be noted that the government did not begin tracking mesothelioma as a cause of death until 1999.
In the 1999-2005 period, a total of 18,068 deaths from mesothelioma were reported in the United States. The annual per capita death rate during this six-year period remained stable at 14.1 deaths per million residents in 1999, compared with 14.0 in 2005.
Mesothelioma mortality rate by state
Analyzed by the number of deaths in relation to population, six states emerged as hot beds for mesothelioma, reporting more than 20 fatalities per every million residents.
Mesothelioma is the worst of all asbestos-related diseases. The cancer has no known cure, and most patients die within a year to 18 months after diagnosis. The latency period between exposure and diagnosis is commonly 20 to 40 years, though it can be longer. Most deaths from mesothelioma in the United States derive from asbestos exposure decades ago.
Occupations at risk
Construction work accounts for 15 percent of mesothelioma deaths. Other industries with a high rate of mesothelioma include: ship/boat building and repair, chemical manufacturing, petroleum refining, and the utility industry. Trades or occupations most at risk include: pipe fitters, steamfitters, plumbers, mechanical engineers, electricians and elementary school teachers.
Weitz & Luxenberg – Champion to the working class
Weitz & Luxenberg has championed the cause of workers for 25 years. And in that time the firm's mesothelioma lawyers have won more than a billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients injured by asbestos, often obtaning record verdicts.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and seek a free legal consultation, please notify us through the communication form on this page. We will pursue your claim with vigilance. And because we work on a contingency basis, there is no cost to you at all until we win a settlement or verdict. Contact us today!
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