Medical researchers believe that the two major diseases caused by exposure to asbestos - mesothelioma and asbestosis - are under reported widely in the US and other parts of the world. These diseases related to asbestos were particularly under-reported for decades before the US government began to attribute death to them and before long-term harmful effects of asbestos were widely known.
asbestos diseases Today, experts believe are diagnosed and recorded more accurately than before, but there is still a gap between reported statistics and the actual number of diagnoses. Indeed, the disease symptoms are difficult for patients to detect and many physicians to diagnose.
The continuous awareness to spread and death certificates around the world become more detailed, the gap between reported cases and actual cases should continue to close.
past underreporting
All types of asbestos cancer were considered underrated in the US for decades that preceded 1999. before that date, the federal government has not officially recorded deaths due to cancer. Any incidence and mortality rates were reporting unofficial estimates.
One study showed that only 12 percent of mesothelioma deaths were correctly reported in the United States before 1999.
experts now know those estimates were highly inaccurate. In fact, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) estimates that at least half of all mesothelioma incidences before 1999 were never reported. A similar study reported the problem was much worse and only 12 percent of mesothelioma deaths were reported correctly. The others were misdiagnosed or incorrectly identified on death certificates
Recent underreporting
since 1999 -. When the federal government began to catalog the deaths asbestos diseases - health professionals started the diagnosis and reporting of diseases related to asbestos more precisely. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in recent years, public awareness and medical considerably increased for asbestos diseases, especially asbestosis.
This awareness is expected to contribute to more accurate diagnoses and trends reports worldwide. However, researchers believe both mesothelioma and asbestosis are under-reported.
A 2011 study estimated that at least 20 percent of cases of mesothelioma in the world still go unreported because some national governments do not keep data on mesothelioma cases or deaths. The researchers found that in countries which recorded the use of asbestos and mesothelioma cases, a strong correlation exists :. As the use of asbestos has increased in a country, mesothelioma incidences of this country also increased
With this data, the researchers estimated the probable mesothelioma deaths in 33 countries reported the use of asbestos and non-cases of mesothelioma. They found that, in a period of 15 years, these countries had approximately 40,000 mesothelioma deaths, none were reported.
Underreporting Outside the US
It is important to note that this study estimate was based on figures available from other countries, some researchers say were large part inaccurate. The study did not consider under-reporting that took place in countries that have recorded the official mesothelioma deaths. For example, doctors estimate that in Italy, more than half of all cases of asbestosis and mesothelioma still go unreported each year.
deaths reported in the United States
In the United States, errors in the incidence and mortality numbers are much higher. Errors in diagnosis of asbestos-related diseases lead to lower than accurate incidence reports. Rampant misdiagnoses as logically lead to errors on death certificates, which means the mortality rate is also underestimated.
As little as 20 percent of mesothelioma deaths are correctly reported in the United States today.
Sometimes, the actual cause of death is discovered at autopsy. But according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), death certificates are rarely amended or supplemented on the basis of the results of the autopsy. The report estimates that only 20 to 29 percent of mesothelioma deaths are reported accurately in the US
Impact of underreporting
CDC records show that at least 2,500 people die in the US each year from mesothelioma. And according to ATSDR estimates, this figure could reflect as little as a fifth of the actual total, which means that up to 12,500 people die of this cancer every year.
The awareness of asbestosis and mesothelioma develops, the upper parts of affected people should receive more accurate diagnoses. Medical experts estimate that this change will lead to more accurate reporting on death certificates and better estimates of the actual impact of the use of asbestos.
