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Title: Study of mortality from congenital malformation for Benton County, Washington

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5389104

A preliminary report (TID--8204) prepared for the US Atomic Energy Commission suggests that the incidence of deaths due to congenital malformation might be related to the level of environmental radiation. From that report, it appears that the incidence of deaths due to congenital malformation was higher from 1952 through 1956 in Benton County, Washington (among other counties) than for the United States as a whole. The present report, resulting from an exhaustive study of the incidence of congenital malformation deaths in Benton County for the period 1949 through 1957, considers such factors as variation in the birth rates, death rates, and the age distributions of the populations. During 1949 through 1957, the ratios of congenital malformation deaths to live births averaged 0.51 for the nation, as compared to 0.48 for Benton County. The numbers of births per 1000 population averaged 24.5 for the nation and 29.1 for Benton County. The numbers of deaths per 1000 population averaged 9.5 for the nation and 4.7 for Benton County. Analysis of such factors shows that the incidence of congenital malformation deaths was not higher for Benton County than for the United States and demonstrates that the relation suggested in report TID--8204 concerning levels of natural radioactivity and incidence of congenital malformation deaths in the United States should not be accepted without first correcting for these factors for each county or state.

Research Organization:
General Electric Co., Richland, WA (USA). Hanford Atomic Products Operation
DOE Contract Number:
AT(45-1)-1350
OSTI ID:
5389104
Report Number(s):
HW-66344(Rev.)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English