Sense of control and wellbeing decades after exposure to blue asbestos at Wittenoom, Western Australia

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the impact of the knowledge of past asbestos exposure on psychosocial health. Methods: Blue asbestos was mined and milled at Wittenoom in Western Australia between 1943 and 1966. In 2007, SF-12 and Locus of Control (LOC) questionnaires were sent...

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Main Authors: Reid, Alison, Alfonso, Helman, Ti, J., Wong, E., de Klerk, N., Musk, A.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2012
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/14623
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author Reid, Alison
Alfonso, Helman
Ti, J.
Wong, E.
de Klerk, N.
Musk, A.
author_facet Reid, Alison
Alfonso, Helman
Ti, J.
Wong, E.
de Klerk, N.
Musk, A.
author_sort Reid, Alison
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the impact of the knowledge of past asbestos exposure on psychosocial health. Methods: Blue asbestos was mined and milled at Wittenoom in Western Australia between 1943 and 1966. In 2007, SF-12 and Locus of Control (LOC) questionnaires were sent to 5,101 surviving Wittenoom workers and residents. Wellbeing scores and LOC scores were then examined in relation to quantitative exposure measures using linear regression. Results: Wellbeing scores were lower among Wittenoom workers and residents compared with the Western Australian population, although an exposure-response relationship with cumulative asbestos exposure was not found. Those who arrived in Wittenoom as children had a more external sense of control than those who arrived there as adults. There was a 0.12 increase in LOC with a 2.7-fold increase in cumulative asbestos exposure (f/ml-years) (P<0.01). Conclusions: The study concluded that asbestos operation at Wittenoom may have had a detrimental impact on former workers' and residents' sense of control over their lives. © W. S. Maney & Son Ltd 2012.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-146232017-09-13T14:07:13Z Sense of control and wellbeing decades after exposure to blue asbestos at Wittenoom, Western Australia Reid, Alison Alfonso, Helman Ti, J. Wong, E. de Klerk, N. Musk, A. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the impact of the knowledge of past asbestos exposure on psychosocial health. Methods: Blue asbestos was mined and milled at Wittenoom in Western Australia between 1943 and 1966. In 2007, SF-12 and Locus of Control (LOC) questionnaires were sent to 5,101 surviving Wittenoom workers and residents. Wellbeing scores and LOC scores were then examined in relation to quantitative exposure measures using linear regression. Results: Wellbeing scores were lower among Wittenoom workers and residents compared with the Western Australian population, although an exposure-response relationship with cumulative asbestos exposure was not found. Those who arrived in Wittenoom as children had a more external sense of control than those who arrived there as adults. There was a 0.12 increase in LOC with a 2.7-fold increase in cumulative asbestos exposure (f/ml-years) (P<0.01). Conclusions: The study concluded that asbestos operation at Wittenoom may have had a detrimental impact on former workers' and residents' sense of control over their lives. © W. S. Maney & Son Ltd 2012. 2012 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/14623 10.1179/1077352512Z.0000000006 restricted
spellingShingle Reid, Alison
Alfonso, Helman
Ti, J.
Wong, E.
de Klerk, N.
Musk, A.
Sense of control and wellbeing decades after exposure to blue asbestos at Wittenoom, Western Australia
title Sense of control and wellbeing decades after exposure to blue asbestos at Wittenoom, Western Australia
title_full Sense of control and wellbeing decades after exposure to blue asbestos at Wittenoom, Western Australia
title_fullStr Sense of control and wellbeing decades after exposure to blue asbestos at Wittenoom, Western Australia
title_full_unstemmed Sense of control and wellbeing decades after exposure to blue asbestos at Wittenoom, Western Australia
title_short Sense of control and wellbeing decades after exposure to blue asbestos at Wittenoom, Western Australia
title_sort sense of control and wellbeing decades after exposure to blue asbestos at wittenoom, western australia
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/14623