Citizens of the community of Wellington in Lorain County, Ohio expressed concerns about the potential association between a higher than expected number of individuals with multiple sclerosis(MS) and an adjacent hazardous waste site. Preliminary data indicated a nearly sixfold elevation in the prevalence of MS. The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) entered a 2-year cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry in September 2000 to develop precise diagnositc criteria and determine the actual prevalence of MS in the area. The ODH has expanded the study area to include all of Lorain County and has created a community task force to promote community support for this project, to help identify individuals with MS, and to communicate project findings.
Learning Objectives: Clinical definition of multiple sclerosis to establish prevalence. Methods used to establish the prevalence of multiple sclerosis in a metropolitan area.
Keywords: Environmental Health,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.