title: First epidemiological study on occupational radar exposure in the French Navy: a 26-year cohort study.
abstract: This retrospective cohort study deals with the causes of death among 57,000 military personnel who served in the French Navy surface vessels and were observed over the period 1975-2000. We successively compared the mortality rate and the specific causes of death between two groups differing in their potential exposure levels to radar. Occupational exposure was defined according to the on-board workplace (radar and control groups). The age-adjusted death ratios of the navy personnel were compared. For all causes of death, the results showed that 885 deaths in the radar group and 299 in the control group occurred (RR = 1.00 (95% CI: 0.88-1.14)). RRs were 0.92 (95% CI: 0.69-1.24) for neoplasms. For the duration of follow-up, the results did not show an increased health risk for military personnel exposed to higher levels of radio frequencies in the radar group, but the number of deaths was very small for some cancer sites.
authors.affiliation: a Biological Effects of Radiation Department , Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées , Brétigny sur Orge , France.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dabouis
authors.affiliation: a Biological Effects of Radiation Department , Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées , Brétigny sur Orge , France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arvers
authors.affiliation: a Biological Effects of Radiation Department , Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées , Brétigny sur Orge , France.
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Debouzy
authors.affiliation: b DGA Techniques navales, Avenue de la Tour royale , Toulon Cedex , France.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sebbah
authors.affiliation: a Biological Effects of Radiation Department , Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées , Brétigny sur Orge , France.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crouzier
authors.affiliation: a Biological Effects of Radiation Department , Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées , Brétigny sur Orge , France.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perrin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002423:Cause of Death; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011825:Radar; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: epidemiology; exposure; mortality; occupational hazards; radiofrequency