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Community Meeting Pompton Lakes, NJ April 21, 2010. Joe Eldridge, MPH Consumer, Environmental and Occupational Health Service Pamela K. Agovino, MPH Cancer Epidemiology Services New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. Community Advisory Group for Health. Met: March 4, 2010
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Community MeetingPompton Lakes, NJApril 21, 2010 Joe Eldridge, MPH Consumer, Environmental and Occupational Health Service Pamela K. Agovino, MPH Cancer Epidemiology Services New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services
Community Advisory Group for Health • Met: March 4, 2010 • Purposes: • Provide forum for community to express concerns • Define questions about health and exposure • Discuss ways to answer questions • Advise NJ DHSS and US ATSDR on priorities • Next meeting: May 10, 2010
Health CAG:List of Environmental Exposures of Concern • Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) in indoor air over/near groundwater contamination plume • Changes through time • VOCs in outdoor air • VOCs in private wells used for irrigation • Lead and mercury in sediments and soils of Acid Brook, Pompton Lake delta, Wanaque River • General outdoor air quality • Dust generation from interstate construction and improper soil/waste disposal
Health CAG:List of Health Issues of Concern • Cancers • Benign brain tumors? • What is a “cluster”? • Geographic areas of analysis • Neurological outcomes • Multiple sclerosis and lupus? • Learning disabilities? • Respiratory health • Asthma? • COPD? • Lead exposure • Kidney disease • Health of people who moved away • Linking health and exposure
Health CAG: Action Items (1) • Provide directory of Health CAG members and agency contact lists • Prepare glossary of terms for Health CAG • Prepare summaries of toxicology information for site-related contaminants and signs and symptoms of exposure • Prepare background information on epidemiology of cancers for Health CAG
Health CAG: Action Items (2) • Complete and present an analysis of cancer incidence for entire town of Pompton Lakes • Provide Health CAG members with information related to the Endicott, NY vapor intrusion site • Consider ambient air modeling to estimate VOCs in air • Develop training for local health care providers • Consider additional analyses of cancer and other health outcomes • Discuss with Health CAG pros and cons of epidemiologic investigation methods
Method of Analysis:Standardized Incidence Ratios • Fact sheet • Observed # of cases obtained from the New Jersey State Cancer Registry (NJSCR) • Expected # of cases derived from population data (U.S. Census) and New Jersey State cancer incidence rates • All cancers combined and 15 cancer types • By sex • 1979-2007 • 1979-1989; 1990-2007
Statistically SignificantSIR Resultsby Time Period,Pompton Lakes, NJ * Statistically significantly elevated at the 95% Confidence level
Lung CancerRisk Factors • Cigarette smoking is responsible for nearly 90 percent of all lung cancers • Cigar and pipe smoking, second-hand smoke, air pollution, high doses of ionizing radiation, residential radon exposure • Older age (over 50) • Occupational exposures to mustard gas, chloromethyl ethers, arsenic, chromium, nickel, vinyl chloride, radon, asbestos, combustion byproducts (including diesel exhaust)
Colorectal Cancer Risk Factors • Personal or family history of colorectal polyps or inflammatory bowel disease • Certain hereditary conditions • Older age (over 50) • Diet high in fat and low in fiber, fruits and vegetables; obesity, physical inactivity • Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption.
Points to Consider • SIR analyses can show whether the occurrence of cancer in a community is greater or less than expected compared to the state, accounting for age differences. • Information on individual risk factors for cancer -- such as inherited traits, behaviors (e.g., diet and smoking) or occupation – is not available and cannot be taken into account. • The cause or causes of elevated rates for a particular cancer cannot be determined by cancer incidence data alone.
Contact InformationState Health Department • Cancer Epidemiology Services NJDHSS (609) 588-3500 http://nj.gov/health/ces/ • Consumer, Environmental and Occupational Health Services NJDHSS (609) 826-4920 http://nj.gov/health/eoh/cehsweb/dupontpomptonlakes.htm