Spitzer W O, Dales R E, Schechter M T, Suissa S, Tousignant P, Steinmetz N, Hutcheon M E
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University, Montreal.
CMAJ. 1989 Oct 1;141(7):685-91.
For 25 years residents of a rural area in southwestern Alberta have complained of health problems attributed to sour gas emissions from nearby natural gas refineries. We undertook a large epidemiologic study of the current health status and the selected morbidity rates among 2152 people in the exposed area. We established two comparison groups: one was a demographically similar unexposed population and the other a demographically different group also exposed to sour gas emissions in another region. The methods included a cross-sectional survey of current residents and separate historical cohort studies involving registry linkage to investigate cancer incidence and all-cause mortality. The cross-sectional survey involved a comprehensive health questionnaire, standardized clinical examinations by physicians blinded to the subjects' symptoms and concerns, and several laboratory tests. We were able to contact just under 60% of the people who we knew had moved from each area since 1958 and found no evidence of selective migration for health reasons. Although the residents of the exposed area reported an excess number of symptoms and health problems there were no significant differences in the mortality rate, incidence of cancer, reproductive problems, major ailments, hair levels of arsenic and certain metals or respiratory function between the groups.
25年来，艾伯塔省西南部一个农村地区的居民一直抱怨称，附近天然气精炼厂排放的酸性气体导致了健康问题。我们对暴露地区2152人的当前健康状况和选定的发病率进行了一项大型流行病学研究。我们设立了两个对照组：一个是人口统计学特征相似的未暴露人群，另一个是人口统计学特征不同但也暴露于另一地区酸性气体排放的人群。研究方法包括对现居居民进行横断面调查，以及开展单独的历史性队列研究，通过与登记处的数据关联来调查癌症发病率和全因死亡率。横断面调查包括一份全面的健康问卷、由对受试者症状和担忧不知情的医生进行的标准化临床检查，以及多项实验室检测。自1958年以来，我们能够联系到我们所知的从每个地区迁出的人中略少于60%的人，且未发现出于健康原因进行选择性迁移的证据。尽管暴露地区的居民报告了过多的症状和健康问题，但两组之间在死亡率、癌症发病率、生殖问题、主要疾病、砷和某些金属的毛发含量或呼吸功能方面并无显著差异。
