The latest mesothelioma statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are several years old. Nevertheless, these statistics can reasonably be expected to reflect a current picture of deaths due to mesothelioma nationwide.
Thousands of Deaths Each Year
Each year from 1999 to 2002, roughly 2,500 to 3,000 deaths in the U.S. were attributed to mesothelioma. The statistics may well be an underestimate of the numbers of deaths due to mesothelioma, because mesothelioma is rather difficult to diagnose and is often misdiagnosed as another type of cancer.
An Increase in the Mesothelioma Death Rate Predicted
Since mesothelioma takes anywhere from 10 to 50 years to manifest itself after the initial asbestos exposure , public health officials have predicted an increasing rate of mesothelioma deaths in the U.S., in part due to the heavy use of asbestos products in the 1940s and 1950s, and particularly among members of the military who served in World War II. The toxic asbestos inhaled by so many Americans during those years are now being confirmed by the development of thousands of mesothelioma cases in recent years.
Mesothelioma Deaths by Industry
Certain industries also have a greater number of mesothelioma victims, due to the presence of asbestos on the job or on site. Here are industries and their percentages of the total mesothelioma deaths recorded in 1999 (NIOSH mesothelioma statistics):
NIOSH did not include the mining industry in these mesothelioma statistics. The asbestos mining industry accounts for a much larger percentage of mesothelioma deaths.
Mesothelioma Deaths by Occupation
Mesothelioma statistics also reflect a correlation between the amount of asbestos exposure on a given job and the risk of developing mesothelioma or other asbestos-caused diseases. Here are NIOSH data detailing occupations with their corresponding percentages of the mesothelioma deaths in 1999:
The high number for elementary school teachers is most likely based on cases in which the teachers spent day after day in classrooms built with asbestos-containing components (such as ceiling tiles) that were deteriorating and dangerous.
Learn More about Mesothelioma
If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it's a good idea to learn all that you can about this devastating disease. Contact us online to find out more about mesothelioma, its causes and consequences.