In 1946, approximately 40,000 U.S. military personnel participated in Operation CROSSROADS, an atmospheric nuclear test that took place at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Congress passed a law directing the Veterans Administration to determine whether there were any long-term adverse health effects associated with exposure to ionizing radiation from the detonation of nuclear devices. This book contains the results of an extensive epidemiological study of the mortality of participants compared with a similar group of nonparticipants. Topics of discussion include a breakdown of the study rationale; an overview of other studies of veteran participants in nuclear tests; and descriptions of Operation CROSSROADS, data sources for the study, participant and comparison cohorts, exposure details, mortality ascertainment, and findings and conclusions.

Table of Contents


Front Matter
Summary
Study Rationale and Overview
Other Studies of the Human Health Effects of Radiation Exposure
Epidemiology Primer
Description of Operation Crossroads
Data Sources for the Crossroads Study
The Participant Cohort
The Comparison Cohort
Exposure Definition, Measurement, and Verification
Mortality Ascertainment
Characterization of the Cohorts and Analysis Plan
Findings and Discussion
Conclusions
References
Appendix A: National Association of Atomic Veterans (NAAV) Medical Survey
Appendix B: Particpant Description (DNA memorandum dated July 11, 1994)
Appendix C: Standardized Mortality Ratios
Appendix D: Radiation Doses for CROSSROADS Participants and Exposure Surrogate Groups
Appendix E: Verification of Completeness and Accuracy of the participant Roster
Appendix F: Verification of Completeness and Accuracy of Mortality Ascertainment