Inequalities in the nuclear age: impact of race and gender on radiation exposure at the Savannah River Site (1951-1999).
Changes in the workforce during the civil rights movement may have impacted occupational exposures in the United States. We examined Savannah River Site (SRS) employee records (1951-1999) for changes in radiation doses and monitoring practices, by race and sex. Segregation of jobs by race and sex diminished but remained pronounced in recent years. Female workers were less likely than males to be monitored for occupational radiation exposure [odds of being unmonitored = 3.11; 95% CI: (2.79, 3.47)] even after controlling for job and decade of employment. Black workers were more likely than non-black workers to have a detectable radiation dose [OR = 1.36 (95% CI: 1.28, 1.43)]. Female workers have incomplete dose histories that would hinder compensation for illnesses related to occupational exposures. The persistence of job segregation and excess radiation exposures of black workers shows the need for further action to address disparities in occupational opportunities and hazardous exposures in the U. S. South.
Angelon-Gaetz
Kim A
KA
Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. Kangelon@email.unc.edu
Richardson
David B
DB
Wing
Steve
S
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055848:Nuclear Power Plants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D045483:Rivers; D012737:Sex Factors