Occupational health

In 1997, in light of international developments with respect to asbestos, particularly after its banning in France, Quebec's ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (department of health and social services) set up a Comité aviseur sur l'amiante (asbestos advisory committee). The aim of this committee was to make recommendations about appropriate measures to inform the public and to protect public health in relation to the asbestos situation in Quebec. The advisory committee then created two sub-committees: the first to document asbestos exposure and the second to examine the epidemiology of asbestos-related diseases in Quebec. The sub-committee on exposure was mandated to assess the pertinence and the feasibility of assessing asbestos exposure in the general population, particularly in public buildings such as schools. The sub-committee on epidemiology was mandated to review epidemiological studies available in Quebec on mesothelioma, pulmonary cancers, and asbestosis; evalua…

Under the auspices of the Comité aviseur sur l'amiante au Québec (asbestos advisory committee), the sub-committee on the epidemiology of asbestos-related diseases reviewed the available epidemiological data on these diseases in Quebec. The sub-committee also conducted various studies to fill in certain gaps identified during the analysis of available data. 

The findings that have been summarized here show a statistically significant increase in the incidence of mesothelioma of the pleura among Quebec men between 1982 and 1996. Statistical projection suggests that this increase might level off in a few years, but this is not certain. Quebec men and women also show significantly higher rates of mesothelioma of the pleura than men and women in the rest of Canada and in several other countries. This clearly points to the necessity of monitoring the evolution of this cancer in Quebec in the coming years, especially to see whether or not the increase levels off and to describ…

In 1997, in light of international developments with respect to asbestos, particularly after its banning in France and the ensuing controversy, the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) set up a Comité aviseur sur l'amiante (asbestos advisory committee). The aim of this committee was to make recommendations about appropriate measures to inform the public and to protect public health.

The mandate of the Comité aviseur sur l'amiante (exposure measurement) consisted in assessing the pertinence and the feasibility of assessing asbestos exposure in the general population, particularly in public buildings such as schools. The sub-committee that was created to carry out this task first analyzed the available existing data from all areas. As early as June 1997, the sub-committee identified schools as priority action areas. The sub-committee developed a protocol and environmental assessment tools intended for all school boards and for the directions de santé publique (…

Here are the abstracts and PowerPoints of the North American Conference on deafness screening and intervention in early childhood (January 23-25, 2003).