An Investigation of Cancer Rates in the Argentia Region, Newfoundland and Labrador: An Ecological Study

Background. The Argentia region of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, was home to a US naval base during a 40-year period between the 1940s and the 1990s. Activities on the base resulted in contamination of the soil and groundwater in the region with chemicals such as heavy metals and dioxins, and r...

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Published in:Journal of Environmental and Public Health
Main Authors: Pauline Duke, Marshall Godwin, Mandy Peach, Jacqueline Fortier, Stephen Bornstein, Sharon Buehler, Farah McCrate, Andrea Pike, Peizhong Peter Wang, Richard M. Cullen
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2015
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/421562
https://doaj.org/article/b60bf0f295fa49b39d7550d33aeb309c
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spelling ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:b60bf0f295fa49b39d7550d33aeb309c 2023-05-15T17:20:17+02:00 An Investigation of Cancer Rates in the Argentia Region, Newfoundland and Labrador: An Ecological Study Pauline Duke Marshall Godwin Mandy Peach Jacqueline Fortier Stephen Bornstein Sharon Buehler Farah McCrate Andrea Pike Peizhong Peter Wang Richard M. Cullen 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/421562 https://doaj.org/article/b60bf0f295fa49b39d7550d33aeb309c EN eng Hindawi Limited http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/421562 https://doaj.org/toc/1687-9805 https://doaj.org/toc/1687-9813 1687-9805 1687-9813 doi:10.1155/2015/421562 https://doaj.org/article/b60bf0f295fa49b39d7550d33aeb309c Journal of Environmental and Public Health, Vol 2015 (2015) Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 article 2015 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/421562 2022-12-30T22:55:47Z Background. The Argentia region of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, was home to a US naval base during a 40-year period between the 1940s and the 1990s. Activities on the base resulted in contamination of the soil and groundwater in the region with chemicals such as heavy metals and dioxins, and residents have expressed concern about higher rates of cancer in their community. This study investigated the rate of cancer diagnosis that is disproportionately high in the Argentia region. Methods. Cases of cancer diagnosed between 1985 and 2011 were obtained for the Argentia region, two comparison communities, and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Crude and age-standardized incidence rates of cancer diagnosis were calculated and compared. The crude incidence rate was adjusted for differences in age demographics using census data, and age-standardized incidence rates were compared. Results. Although the Argentia region had a higher crude rate of cancer diagnosis, the age-standardized incidence rate did not differ significantly from the comparison communities or the provincial average. Argentia has an aging population, which may have influenced the perception of increased cancer diagnosis in the community. Conclusions. We did not detect an increased burden of cancer in the Argentia region. Article in Journal/Newspaper Newfoundland Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Newfoundland Canada Journal of Environmental and Public Health 2015 1 8
institution Open Polar
collection Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles
op_collection_id ftdoajarticles
language English
topic Public aspects of medicine
RA1-1270
spellingShingle Public aspects of medicine
RA1-1270
Pauline Duke
Marshall Godwin
Mandy Peach
Jacqueline Fortier
Stephen Bornstein
Sharon Buehler
Farah McCrate
Andrea Pike
Peizhong Peter Wang
Richard M. Cullen
An Investigation of Cancer Rates in the Argentia Region, Newfoundland and Labrador: An Ecological Study
topic_facet Public aspects of medicine
RA1-1270
description Background. The Argentia region of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, was home to a US naval base during a 40-year period between the 1940s and the 1990s. Activities on the base resulted in contamination of the soil and groundwater in the region with chemicals such as heavy metals and dioxins, and residents have expressed concern about higher rates of cancer in their community. This study investigated the rate of cancer diagnosis that is disproportionately high in the Argentia region. Methods. Cases of cancer diagnosed between 1985 and 2011 were obtained for the Argentia region, two comparison communities, and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Crude and age-standardized incidence rates of cancer diagnosis were calculated and compared. The crude incidence rate was adjusted for differences in age demographics using census data, and age-standardized incidence rates were compared. Results. Although the Argentia region had a higher crude rate of cancer diagnosis, the age-standardized incidence rate did not differ significantly from the comparison communities or the provincial average. Argentia has an aging population, which may have influenced the perception of increased cancer diagnosis in the community. Conclusions. We did not detect an increased burden of cancer in the Argentia region.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Pauline Duke
Marshall Godwin
Mandy Peach
Jacqueline Fortier
Stephen Bornstein
Sharon Buehler
Farah McCrate
Andrea Pike
Peizhong Peter Wang
Richard M. Cullen
author_facet Pauline Duke
Marshall Godwin
Mandy Peach
Jacqueline Fortier
Stephen Bornstein
Sharon Buehler
Farah McCrate
Andrea Pike
Peizhong Peter Wang
Richard M. Cullen
author_sort Pauline Duke
title An Investigation of Cancer Rates in the Argentia Region, Newfoundland and Labrador: An Ecological Study
title_short An Investigation of Cancer Rates in the Argentia Region, Newfoundland and Labrador: An Ecological Study
title_full An Investigation of Cancer Rates in the Argentia Region, Newfoundland and Labrador: An Ecological Study
title_fullStr An Investigation of Cancer Rates in the Argentia Region, Newfoundland and Labrador: An Ecological Study
title_full_unstemmed An Investigation of Cancer Rates in the Argentia Region, Newfoundland and Labrador: An Ecological Study
title_sort investigation of cancer rates in the argentia region, newfoundland and labrador: an ecological study
publisher Hindawi Limited
publishDate 2015
url https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/421562
https://doaj.org/article/b60bf0f295fa49b39d7550d33aeb309c
geographic Newfoundland
Canada
geographic_facet Newfoundland
Canada
genre Newfoundland
genre_facet Newfoundland
op_source Journal of Environmental and Public Health, Vol 2015 (2015)
op_relation http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/421562
https://doaj.org/toc/1687-9805
https://doaj.org/toc/1687-9813
1687-9805
1687-9813
doi:10.1155/2015/421562
https://doaj.org/article/b60bf0f295fa49b39d7550d33aeb309c
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/421562
container_title Journal of Environmental and Public Health
container_volume 2015
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