Technical Report No. 15-64

JNIH–ABCC Life Span Study Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Report 3. Mortality. October 1950-September 1960

Jablon S, Ishida M, Yamasaki M

 

Editor’s note:

The following journal articles, based on this ABCC technical report, were published in the scientific literature:
Ishida M: JNIH-ABCC Life Span Study Report 3. Hiroshima Igaku [J Hiroshima Med Assoc] 17:726-9, 1964 (in Japanese)
Jablon S, Ishida M, Yamasaki M: Studies of the mortality of A-bomb survivors. 3. Description of the sample and mortality, 1950-1960. Radiat Res 25:25-52, 1965
Jablon S, Ishida M, Yamasaki M: JNIH-ABCC Life Span Study, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Report 3. Mortality, October 1950-September 1960. Hiroshima Igaku [J Hiroshima Med Assoc] 19:302-34, 1966 (in Japanese)

 

Summary

1. The sample of 99,393 persons for the JNIH-ABCC Life Span Study has been completed and each member has been traced for survival to the period 1958-1960.
2. The survivors and those not in the cities ATB differ markedly in histories of foreign residence prior to the bombings. Foreign residence was much more frequent in the migrant comparison group.
3. Nearest the hypocenter shielding was, on the average, greater in Nagasaki than in Hiroshima. In consequence, burns and acute radiation injury were more prevalent in Hiroshima than Nagasaki for survivors in the 0-999 m zone.
4. A total of 8614 deaths were included in this analysis. The most frequently assigned causes of deaths were vascular lesions of the central nervous system and malignant neoplasms.
5. Members of the sample not in the cities ATB had lower mortality ratios than did the survivors at all distances.
6. Mortality ratios for survivors 0-1399 m were higher than for survivors at greater distances for all causes, all natural causes, tuberculosis (Hiroshima males), leukemia, and other malignant neoplasms.
7. Mortality ratios from all causes in those located 0-1399 m from the hypocenter were especially high in 1951-1952, and declined thereafter. Ratios for death from malignant neoplasms in the same group declined from 1951-1952 to 1957-1958; and increased in 1959-1960.
8. The average T57Dose was significantly larger for those who died from natural causes, or from malignant neoplasms excluding leukemia between 1950-1960 than for those who were still living at the most recent check.
9. Neither burns nor the presence of acute radiation injury were associated with high or low mortality for fixed distance classes.
10. Variation of mortality ratios by geographic area of location ATB is considered partially attributable to social stratification in the cities. However, especially in Hiroshima, high ratios were found in the area containing the hypocenter and these may, in part, result from late radiation effects.

 

Editor’s note:

The following components of this report contain data on communicable disease frequencies, allergies, malignancies, and many other symptoms that may be of interest from a public health standpoint.

 

List of Tables

1. JNIH-ABCC Life Span Study sample
2. Deaths by death certificate underlying cause
3. Deaths and death rates by 10 year age groups
4. Person-years and average age at observation by distance from hypocenter
5. Age standardized death ratios in relation to distance
6. Deaths, all natural causes by distance
7. Deaths, all causes by distance
8. Deaths, malignant neoplasms of digestive organs, peritoneum, and uterus by distance
9. Deaths, all causes by biennium and distance
10. Deaths, malignant neoplasms by biennium and distance
11. Deaths, all causes by T57Dose
12. Comparison of average log of T57Dose
13. Summary of comparisons of average log of T57Dose
14. Deaths, all causes by acute radiation injury and distance
15. Deaths, all causes by burns and distance
16. Deaths, by area of location ATB – Hiroshima
17. Deaths, by area of location ATB – Nagasaki
18. Study sample by age, sex, and distance – Hiroshima
19. Study sample by age, sex, and distance – Nagasaki
20. Study sample by age, sex, and distance – Hiroshima + Nagasaki

 

List of Figures

1. Pattern for reporting mortality data
2. History of foreign residence by age, sex, and location
3. Shielding categories by sex, city, and distance from hypocenter
4. T57Dose estimates by city and distance
5. Burns by city and distance
6. Acute radiation injury by city and distance
7. Acute radiation injury by T57Dose and city
8. Acute radiation injury by T57Dose, age, and city
9. Age standardized death ratios by biennium and distance
10. Age standardized death ratios by area of location – Hiroshima
11. Age standardized death ratios by area of location – Nagasaki