Children exposed to asbestos between 1943 and 1966 in Wittenoom, Western Australia, are now dying of asbestos-related cancers at a rate well above the average population.
The University of Western Australia study is the first to look into the long-term effects of asbestos exposure in children, as opposed to adults who worked with asbestos-made materials. The study found that women, exposed to asbestos before the age of 15, have a 20% to 47% greater risk of developing a range of cancers than the rest of the Australian population.
By following this group from Wittenoom, the researchers hope to gain more insight into the effect of asbestos exposure during childhood.
Read more at The University of Western Australia