Mortality of Veteran Participants in the CROSSROADS Nuclear Test

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 ContentsFront MatterSummaryStudy Rationale and OverviewOther Studies of the Human Health Effects of Radiation ExposureEpidemiology PrimerDescription of Operation CrossroadsData Sources for the Crossroads StudyThe Participant CohortThe Comparison CohortExposure Definition, Measurement, and VerificationMortality AscertainmentCharacterization of the Cohorts and Analysis PlanFindings and DiscussionConclusionsReferencesAppendix A: National Association of Atomic Veterans (NAAV) Medical SurveyAppendix B: Particpant Description (DNA memorandum dated July 11, 1994)Appendix C: Standardized Mortality RatiosAppendix D: Radiation Doses for CROSSROADS Participants and Exposure Surrogate GroupsAppendix E: Verification of Completeness and Accuracy of the participant RosterAppendix F: Verification of Completeness and Accuracy of Mortality Ascertainment