The Radiation Epidemiology Branch and the University of Minnesota have followed a nationwide cohort of 146,022 U.S. radiologic technologists (USRT) since 1982 to assess cancer and other disease risks associated with long-term repeated low doses of ionizing radiation. The USRT Study is the largest cohort of medical radiation workers studied to date and the only one with substantial numbers of women, extensive covariate data, incident and fatal cancer and other outcomes, estimates of individual historical occupational radiation doses, personal medical radiation doses, and personal and residential solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) doses. Three OMB-approved questionnaires have been administered during 1983-2005 along with the collection of biospecimens for breast and thyroid cancer cases and comparison subjects. Study objectives for the next five years are to: (a) assess risks of cancer and other diseases from long-term low-dose occupational and personal medical radiation exposures; (b) assess risks of cancer and other diseases from occupational exposure to emerging and evolving radiologic modalities (i.e. nuclear medicine, interventional radiography); (c) assess risks of skin and other cancers from solar ultraviolet radiation exposures; (d) replicate main genotype effects for breast cancer reported from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and evaluate genetic determinants for thyroid and skin cancers; and (e) evaluate gene-radiation and ionizing-ultraviolet radiation interactions for breast, thyroid, skin and other cancers. A fourth questionnaire survey will collect information on work history with nuclear medicine and interventional radiography procedures to improve dosimetry, new cancer and other disease outcomes, and other disease risk factors to further clarify the role of radiation and other factors in risks of cancer and other disease incidence and mortality.
US Code:
42 USC 411
Name of Law: Public Health Service Act
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.