Authors
Lotz-WG; Rinsky-RA; Edwards-RD
Source
NIOSH 1995 Jun; :1-44
Abstract
A feasibility assessment was conducted to determine whether an epidemiologic study of the incidence of testicular cancer in police officers using traffic radar was possible. Extensive assessments of exposure to microwave radiation emitted from traffic radar devices were conducted under a variety of conditions. These assessments indicated that present day exposures of law enforcement officers were consistent with published studies reporting low exposures. Police officers from several states, as well as officials of other federal agencies and selected state health departments, were contacted to assess whether existing data sources would support an epidemiologic study. Several problems emerged which limit severely the ability to conduct a successful and scientifically valid epidemiologic study of radar gun use and risk of testicular cancer. These included the low incidence of testicular cancer, the lack of a national tumor registry from which cases could be identified, and the lack of a record system which could specifically identify police officers exposed to traffic radar, or the type and amount of radar exposure. The authors offer several recommendations to reduce exposures during use of traffic radar devices.
Keywords
NIOSH-Author; Risk-factors; Epidemiology; Cancer-rates; Radiation-exposure; Radiation-hazards; Law-enforcement-workers; Reproductive-system-disorders; Microwave-radiation
NTIS Accession No.
PB95-261350
Priority Area
Reproductive-system-disorder
Source Name
NIOSH, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Cincinnati, Ohio, 44 pages, 90 references