title: Prospective study of asbestos-related diseases incidence cases in primary health care in an area of Barcelona province.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asbestos related diseases include a number of conditions due to inhalation of asbestos fibres at work, at home or in the environment, such as pleural mesothelioma, asbestosis and calcified pleural plaques. Few epidemiological studies have established the incidence of asbestos related diseases in our area. The present proposal is based on a retrospective study externally funded in 2005 that is currently taking place in the same area and largely carried out by the same research team.The aim of the study is to achieve a comprehensive and coordinated detection of all new cases of Asbestos Related Diseases presenting to primary care practitioners.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a multicentre, multidisciplinary and pluri-institutional prospective study.Setting12 municipalities in the Barcelona province within the catchment area of the health facilities that participate in the study.SampleThis is a population based study, of all patients presenting with diseases caused by asbestos in the study area.MeasurementsA clinical and epidemiological questionnaire will be filled in by the trained researchers after interviewing the patients and examining their clinical reports.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data on the incidence of the different Asbestos Related Diseases in this area will be obtained and the most plausible exposure source and space-time-patient profile will be described. The study will also improve the standardization of patient management, the coordination between health care institutions and the development of preventive activities related with asbestos exposure and disease.
authors.affiliation: IDIAP Jordi Gol, c/Gran Via de Les Corts Catalanes 587 àtic, 08007 Barcelona, Spain. mrosell@idiapjgol.org
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosell-Murphy
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abós-Herràndiz
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tarrés
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Martínez-Artés
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: García-Allas
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Krier
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cantarell
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gallego
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orriols
authors.forename: Constança
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Albertí
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology