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Abstract
Asbestos is a recognized occupational and environmental hazard in the Asia-Pacific region, yet information regarding asbestos consumption, exposure, and asbestos-related diseases in the US-affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPIs) is scarce, and the situation regarding asbestos in these islands, particularly with regard to disease burden, surveillance, and health care capacity, is not well understood. Searching through scientific and “gray” literature and interviews with local cancer registry personnel and health professionals yielded no published data, only sufficient, indirect evidence of past and ongoing asbestos exposure, documented cases of mesothelioma and asbestosis, and minimal capacity for preventing and recognizing asbestos-related illnesses. Capacity and resource limitations within the USAPIs can impede regional progress in asbestos prevention and highlight the need for an integrated regional approach to address these data and capacity gaps. A regional mechanism to share expertise and resources and facilitate technical assistance to the USAPIs is urgently needed.
This work was supported by the Environmental Health Program, World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional Office. The authors thank Dr. Neal Palafox (John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai’i at Manoa), Dr. Mohammed Madantschi (Guam), Dr. Nathaniel Berg (Guam Radiology Consultants), Dr. Robert Haddock and Ms. Melani Montano (Pacific Regional Cancer Registry, University of Guam Cancer Research Center), and Ms. Roxy Mad (research assistant) for their valuable assistance.
Disclosures: A. M. David was contracted by WHO to undertake the data collection and oversee the technical report writing for the submitted work. The other authors have no competing interests in the submitted work. This work represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily that of the World Health Organization.