Some surveys: Since 1968 - 1993
Keeping a track of how many deaths and accidents take place in countries of the world is an obligatory act now. These facts become a part of the history and are used in the future to make comparisons and many other purposes are acquired from keeping statistical records. Officials of every department have to make sure that they keep these records safely and that the information collected is accurate.
Since 1968 HSE has maintained special registers from which statistics are compiled of the numbers of death certificates issued each year on which either asbestosis or mesothelioma (or both) are mentioned. Electronic details of these deaths are sent to HSE each year by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the General Register Office for
Before 1993, if there was insufficient information on a death certificate to accurately classify the death, ONS sent a ‘medical enquiry’ to the certifying doctor for further information. This procedure was discontinued for deaths registered from 1993 onwards, but ONS hope to reintroduce it sometime in the future. This discontinuation has affected the site coding of mesothelioma deaths: the proportion coded as ’site not specified’ was typically around 10-20% before 1993 and over 45% thereafter.
ONS and GRO(S) also supply data on deaths from other lung diseases which are predominantly occupational - pneumoconiosis, byssinosis and occupational allergic alveolitis (farmer’s lung, mushroom picker’s lung and other pneumonitis) - where these were recorded on death certificates as the underlying cause of death.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that principally affects the external lining of the lungs (pleura) and lower digestive tract (peritoneum). It has a strong association with exposure to asbestos dust, and the long latency period between first exposure to asbestos and the development and diagnosis of mesothelioma is seldom less than 15 years and can be as long as 60 years. Asbestosis is lung fibrosis caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibres. It is difficult to diagnose in its early stages as symptoms are similar to lung fibrosis due to other causes. It is generally recognised that heavy exposures are required in order to produce clinically significant asbestosis within the lifetime of an individual.
Mesothelioma and asbestosis death statistics for
Mesothelioma and asbestosis death records are supplied to HSE electronically by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) - for deaths in
Some death certificates mention both asbestosis and mesothelioma. Such deaths are included on both registers in order to keep track of cases where both diseases were present. The mesothelioma and asbestosis mortality statistics are updated annually to include figures for the year two years behind the current year. The delay is a result of the substantial time periods that can be involved in the death certification process. When we publish a figure for the latest available year it will include deaths for that year, which are registered up to 15 months after the year end. This means that the data will be approximately complete when first published. However, there may eventually be a small number of further registrations after this 15-month period, in which case figures are updated during subsequent annual updates.
A series of validation checks are carried out on the annual death data before their incorporation into the registers. Validation includes checking for important missing information, such as date of birth or death, and checking for duplicates. Any queries are followed up with ONS and GRO(S). Coding of mesothelioma site is also carried out at this stage along with categorisation of asbestosis deaths according to the diseases mentioned on the death certificate.
As a further check on the completeness of the mesothelioma register, HSE receives details of all cancer registrations in
Before 1993, if there was insufficient information on a death certificate to accurately classify the death, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) sent a ‘medical enquiry’ to the certifying doctor for further information. This procedure was discontinued for deaths registered from 1993 onwards, but ONS hope to reintroduce it sometime in the future. This discontinuation has affected the site coding of mesothelioma deaths: the proportion coded as ’site not specified’ was typically around 10-20% before 1993 and over 45% thereafter.The death rate caused by the exposure to asbestos and then suffering from mesothelioma is increasing in number through the passage of time. This could clearly be due to the fact that asbestos is now being more commonly used in cement and heat reduction purposes. These statistical facts are being used to make further efforts in stopping its use in an unsafe envirnoment.
