|
The Center for Asbestos Related Disease (CARD) and the Libby community is committed to supporting holistic asbestos health research activities focused around Libby amphibole asbestos disease so new treatments and hopefully a cure can one day be found.
The thousands of individuals exposed to Libby amphibole asbestos, and the 2600 patients that CARD currently follows, makes the “Libby Cohort” a very valuable resource to promote vigorous research that can increase the understanding of the health and psychosocial effects related to Libby amphibole asbestos.
CARD serves as the liaison between the Libby community and the research world, as it is well known that successful partnerships allow valuable research to be accomplished while also protecting the interest of community members. It is further recognized in Libby that “CARD Research is a Community Project” and all types of community members, not just patients, realize the important role they play in supporting asbestos health research activities.
Current Research Projects
CHIEFS (Childhood Health Exposure Investigation Follow-up Study)
University of Cincinnati
This project is a follow-up study focused on the 600 children who participated in the 2000-2001 Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) screening project in Libby, who were too young for radiographic studies at that time. They did record an exposure history and children did receive a breathing test.
If you were one of those children, we would like to talk to you regarding the follow-up study. The following contact information will put you in touch with CHIEFS investigators:
UC Phone: 1.877.871.1794
Facebook: The Libby Community CHIEFS Study (type in "CHIEFS" in the search box) and become a fan!
CHIEFS website: http://eh.uc.edu/Libby
LERP (Libby Epidemiology Research Project): "Libby Amphibole Health Risk Initiative"
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
ATSDR and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have agreed to a $5 million health risk initiative to add to the understanding of long-term health effects of exposure to asbestos amphibole in Libby, Montana and the surrounding community.
The initiative takes place by recording exposure history and making observations in three stages:
1) The risk of exposures during childhood, when the lung is still developing and maturing. Information from these studies will be useful in identifying a safe level of exposure that will not pose a public health risk to residents, especially children.
2) The progression of lung scarring as seen on CT scans, which is more rapid in the Libby population than found among workers exposed to commercial forms of asbestos. If an accelerated progression is demonstrated among the Libby population, opportunities to investigate the reasons may prove fruitful in discovering the mechanisms for asbestos-related scarring and approaches to prevent scarring formation after exposure.
3) A focus on the relationships among autoimmune disorders and autoimmune blood markers related to the degree of exposure and disease development from the Libby amphibole asbestos.
Phone CARD at 406.293.9274 or email CARD at CARD@libbyasbestos.org to inquire about your eligibility to take part in this study (and thank you).
The Libby CARD Database:
The Libby CARD Database is part of a larger project aimed at enabling the CARD clinic to collect, maintain and disseminate medical and exposure data related to Libby amphibole asbestos disease. The CARD's patient treatment data can then be integrated with environmental sampling information (soil, air and water) from locations in and around Libby, and blood and tissue samples donated by residents.
The second part of the project involves tracking latent and low exposure populations by integrating Libby schools student body information from 1960 forward to integrate into the database files. At the time of a healthcare visit, patients will be informed about the research activities and will have the option of giving informed consent to be a part of research. Information that will be a part of the Libby CARD Database primarily includes things that have always been a part of patients' medical records here at CARD. An asbestos exposure history, symptoms, personal health and family histories, all types of lung functioning studies, radiography results, and impacts of ARD on ability to function and emotions. The Libby CARD Database will be an important tool for many of the researchers we partner with, as it allows all of us to see the big picture of what is going on regarding the health effects of Libby Amphibole Asbestos.
Libby Partnership Initiative: "Exploring Research Communication and Engagement in a Rural Community"
Montana State University College of Nursing and CARD Health Care Providers
This Libby Partnership Initiative responds to the National Institute of Health (NIH) Public Trust Initiative to improve the communication and interaction between researchers and the public. Through a community/academic partnership, the project is designed to explore the level of public awareness, understanding, acceptance, and involvement in research and to identify community-accepted strategies for researchers to use that will facilitate communication, encourage community engagement in research, and the researcher's engagement in the community. Contact CARD (406.293.9274) or card@libbyasbestos.org with questions about this study.
|
