The aim of this study is to compare the mortality rates for typical
asbestos-related diseases (ARD-T:
mesothelioma,
asbestosis, and pleural plaques) and for lung and
ovarian cancer in Brazilian municipalities where
asbestos mines and
asbestos-cement plants had been operating (areas with high
asbestos consumption, H-ASB) compared with in other municipalities. The death records for adults aged 30+ years were retrieved from multiple health information systems. In the 2000-2017 time period, age-standardized mortality rates (standard: Brazil 2010) and standardized rate ratios (SRR; H-ASB vs. others) were estimated. The SRRs for ARD-T were 2.56 for men (257 deaths in H-ASB municipalities) and 1.19 for women (136 deaths). For
lung cancer, the SRRs were 1.33 for men (32,604 deaths) and 1.19 for women (20,735 deaths). The SRR for
ovarian cancer was 1.34 (8446 deaths). Except for ARD-T and
lung cancer in women, the SRRs were higher in municipalities that began using
asbestos before 1970 than in municipalities that began utilizing
asbestos from 1970 onwards. In conclusion, the mortality rates for ARD-T, and lung and
ovarian cancer in municipalities with a history of
asbestos mining and
asbestos-cement production exceed those of the whole country. Caution is needed when interpreting the results of this ecological study. Analytical studies are necessary to document the impact of
asbestos exposure on health, particularly in the future given the long latency of
asbestos-related
cancers.