[Mortality due to mesothelioma and asbestosis in Campania Region (Southern Italy): perspectives for reducing asbestos exposure]

Abstract

Objectives: to provide an overview of the geographical distribution of mesothelioma and asbestosis deaths in the Campania Region (Southern Italy) occurred from 2005 to 2018 and to identify areas at higher risk.

Design: for each municipality, Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMRs) for mesothelioma and asbestosis have been estimated from the mortality data provided by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat). Deaths for which mesothelioma and asbestosis were identified as the underlying causes, according to the classification system ICD-10 codes (C45 and J61, respectively), were included. Expected cases were estimated applying age- and gender-specific mortality rates in Campania on resident populations of each municipality. Furthermore, the association between the municipal SMR and the local socioeconomic deprivation index based on the 2011 General Census of Population and Housing was also analysed.

Setting and participants: Campania Region.

Main outcomes measures: the study outcomes were standardized mortality ratios for mesothelioma and asbestosis and the identification of territorial subareas.

Results: a total of 998 deaths attributed to mesothelioma and 62 to asbestosis were identified. No cases of death due to mesothelioma or asbestosis were reported in the province of Benevento. A significant increase in mortality due to mesothelioma was observed across 34 municipalities. These findings show that several municipalities within the province of Naples display a high increase in mortality due to mesothelioma and asbestosis, with 506 deaths in total and 246 cases recorded in the municipality of Naples against 178,37 expected (SMR 1,38; 90%CI 1.24-1.53). In 15 municipalities, a notable increase in mortality for asbestosis was recorded; in Naples, 28 cases occurred (SMR 2,51; 90%CI 1.84-3.42). The overlap between mortality maps for mesothelioma and asbestosis confirms the existence of areas subjected to definite and prolonged asbestos exposure. Additionally, a correlation with the deprivation index was noted: the pooled SMR by quintiles increases with higher quintiles of the deprivation index, for both mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Conclusions: results highlight the crucial need for epidemiological surveillance of asbestos-related diseases in Campania. Actively searching out for new cases of mesothelioma in the entire region is a crucial task in primary prevention of occupational, environmental, and domestic exposures to asbestos.

Keywords: Asbestos; Asbestosis; Campania Region; Epidemiological surveillance; Mesothelioma.