title: Post-retirement surveillance of workers exposed to asbestos or wood dust: first results of the French national SPIRALE Program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In France, 15 000-20 000 cancers attributable to occupational exposure occur each year. These cancers appear most often after the worker has retired. Since 1995, a system of post-retirement medical surveillance (PRMS) has been set up for former workers, but it remains largely underused.
  
  
  METHODS
  The SPIRALE program is a public health intervention aimed at identifying the former workers having been exposed to asbestos or wood dust during their working life and to propose them a PRMS. Additionally, it is also an epidemiologic research on the longterm effects of occupational exposure.We report the results of first years of the program conducted in 2006-2008, in 13 districts.
  
  
  METHODS
  a self-administered questionnaire was sent to 50 000 newly retired men, to identify potential past occupational carcinogen exposure. For respondents detected as possibly exposed, exposure was assessed in Health Screening Centres and a PRMS was recommended if necessary.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participation rate, rate of confirmed exposure, increased rate of PRMS, satisfaction about the program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participation rate was 24%. From 12 002 questionnaires analysed, 72% of respondents were identified as possibly exposed: 3%to wood dust, 50%to asbestos and 19%to both exposures. Exposure to asbestos was confirmed for 73.4%, and according to the level of exposure, PRMS was recommended for 47.1%. Wood dust exposure was confirmed for 56.7%. In these districts, PRMS for asbestos increased by 45% and for wood dust by 600%. Additional surveys showed that participants showed a high degree of satisfaction about the program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results are positive in terms of detection, information and medical surveillance of exposed workers.
authors.affiliation: Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm) U1018, Villejuif, France. matthieu.carton@inserm.fr
authors.forename: Matthieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carton
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonnaud
authors.forename: Mélissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nachtigal
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.forename: Claudette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carole
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonenfant
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coste
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lepinay
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Varsat
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wadoux
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zins
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goldberg
mesh_terms: D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental / Q000009:adverse effects; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004391:Dust; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006078:Government Programs; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000458:organization & administration; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D009790:Occupations; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011634:Public Health; D012179:Retirement; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014934:Wood; D014942:Workers' Compensation
chemical_list: D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D004391:Dust; D001194:Asbestos