Background: Ascertainment bias are common in epidemiologic studies to assess the association between thyroid cancer risk and living near nuclear power plants because many thyroid cancers are diagnosed by chance through health examination. We surveyed the ultra sonography (USG) examination history and conducted thyroid and breast USG in residents living near nuclear power plants. Materials and Methods: The study population comprised 2,421 residents living near nuclear power plants in Korea. Information on demographic characteristics, including diagnostic examination history, was collected by interview using questionnaires. USG examination was conducted to evaluate the presence of thyroid nodules and breast lesion. Study participants were divided into 3 groups according to the distance of their respective villages from a nuclear power plant. The proportions of USG examination history and prevalence of thyroid nodules and breast lesions were compared between groups. Results and Discussion: Examination histories of thyroid USG were 23.1%, 13.7%, and 10.5% in men and 31.3%, 26.7%, 18.3% in women in the short, intermediate, and long distance groups, respectively. There were significant inverse associations between thyroid USG history and the distance from nuclear power plants (P for trend = 0.001 for men and 0.017 for women). However, there was no association between the distance of villages from nuclear power plants and prevalence of thyroid nodules. Conclusion: Our results suggest that there may be an ascertainment bias in population-based studies examining the harmful effects of NPPs examination and researchers should pay attention to ascertainment bias resulted from differential health examination. Correction for ascertainment bias, active follow-up and examination for all study population to remove differential health examination is needed.
목차
ABSTRACT Introduction Materials and Methods 1. Study population and data collection 2. USG examination of thyroid and breast 3. Statistical analysis Results Discussion Conclusion References
키워드
Nuclear power plantsThyroid cancerAscertainment bias
저자
Young-Khi Lim [ Department of Radiological Science, Gachon University, Incheon, Korea ]
Corresponding author
대한방사선방어학회 [Korean Association For Radiation Protection]
설립연도
1975
분야
자연과학>기타자연과학
소개
회원 상호간의 협조와 친목을 도모함으로써 방사선방어에 관한 제반연구 및 발전에 이바지함을 물론 학술의 국제교류 및 국제학술단체와의 상호협력 증진에 기여함을 목적으로 하며, 이 목적을 달성하기 위하여 다음 각 호의 사업을 한다.
1. 방사선방어에 관한 학술연구발표회 및 강연회 등의 개최
2. 학회지 및 방사선방어에 관한 학술간행물의 발행 및 배포
3. 방사선방어에 관한 학술의 국제교류 및 협력
4. 방사선방어에 관한 국제학술자료의 조사, 수집 및 번역
5. 방사선방어에 관한 조사 및 연구용역
6. 회원의 연구활동을 위한 제반협조
7. 기타 본 학회의 목적 달성에 필요한 사항
간행물
간행물명
방사선방어학회지 [Journal of Radiation Protection and Research]