Radiation Exposure and Thyroid Disease in Kazakhstan

Residents of certain villages in Kazakhstan were exposed during childhood to radioactive fallout from nuclear tests conducted at the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS) between 1949 and 1962. Radiation doses to the thyroid from external and internal (i.e., ingested) radiation sources deposited as fallout are of interest because they may be jointly and differentially associated with increased risk of thyroid disease in this population. Objectives: To collect information about factors influencing radiation dose to the thyroid gland in children of two ethnic groups who were exposed to radioactive fallout from nuclear tests at the SNTS between 1949 and 1962. The two groups are Kazakhs (historically nomadic herders) and Europeans (typically descendants of Russian and German farmers). Eligibility: Women 70 years of age and older who had children or provided care to children during the 1950s. Men age 70 and older who were engaged in farming and care of dairy animals at the time of the nuclear tests. Design: In focus group format, participants are interviewed to collect information on the following at the time of nuclear tests: * Dairy consumption; * Source, storage and availability of milk and milk products; * Time that children of different ages and ethnic groups spent indoors; * Building material of houses and schools; * Herding, grazing and supplemental feed of dairy animals.

Sex

All

Minimum age

65 Years

Maximum age

90 Years

* To be eligible, individuals must speak Russian or Kazakh, be able to participate in a two-hour focus group session, and have a verified history of residing in the village during the 1950s. Verification of residence history will be based on regional records.

  1. Women: In each village, we will recruit 24 women. We will select women who are age 70 years and older and who had children or provided care to children (i.e., younger siblings, nieces and nephews) during the 1950s. Our first priority is to recruit women whose own children were less than 21 years during the 1950s. If necessary, we will also recruit women who provided care to children other than their own (e.g., younger siblings, nieces and nephews) during this period. We will recruit both members of our 1998 cohort members and other women in the community who meet the eligibility criteria. Subjects will be chosen to represent experience caring for children of different ages at the time of the nuclear tests. In order to recruit women who had children of different ages (less than 21 years) during the 1950s, we will screen potential participants for their children s years of birth and attempt to enroll women whose children represent a range of ages during the 1950 s.
  2. Men: In each village, we will recruit eight men (Russian and Kazakh) age 70 and older who were engaged in farming and care of dairy animals at the time of the nuclear tests.

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