title: The mental health of asbestos-exposed subjects with pleural abnormalities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effect of knowledge of radiographic abnormalities on the mental health of asbestos-exposed people with and without pleural abnormalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were former asbestos mine and mill workers and residents of the mining town who had participated in an annual health review program. Pleural abnormalities (pleural plaques, diffuse pleural thickening and asbestosis) were determined from plain chest X-rays. All Participants completed a questionnaire on mental health status (SF-12) and locus of control (LOC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences between asbestos-exposed people with and without radiographic abnormalities for either the SF-12 mental health score or LOC. However, the asbestos-exposed cohorts had lower mental health scores compared with a random sample of the local population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of pleural abnormalities did not further affect the mental health of asbestos-exposed people beyond a decrement associated with exposure per se.
authors: School of Population Health, M431, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia, peter.franklin@uwa.edu.au.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Franklin
authors: Monique
authors: M
authors: Robinson
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: Abaogye-Sarfo
authors: Latha
authors: L
authors: Samuel
authors: Nola
authors: N
authors: Olsen
authors: Rob
authors: R
authors: Mina
authors: A W
authors: AW
authors: Musk
authors: Alison
authors: A
authors: Reid
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008906:Mining; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000523:psychology*; D011859:Radiography; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D001194:Asbestos