Asbestos Ban Policies and Mesothelioma Mortality in Greece

Abstract Background Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that mostly affects the pleura and has a strong link to asbestos exposure. Greece banned the use of asbestos in 2005, however, the public was already aware of this substance in the 1980s. This research aims to present an overview of Greece's mesothelioma mortality rates (MMR) from 1983 to 2019 by age, gender, and geographic region and to determine whether the actions to ban asbestos impacted these rates. Methods Data were retrieved by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (HAS) from death certificates that mentioned mesothelioma as the cause of death from 1983 to 2019 with details on the residence, gender, and age. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 29 software, a one-way ANOVA test followed by post-hoc and Dunnett C test for multiple comparisons or Independent samples T-test for comparison between two subjects. Results Males' MMR and the whole population's MMR reached their highest levels in 2011 (0.86/100000 and 0.52/100000, respectively). In order to look for any potential changes between the first two decades of the 21st century, we compared the mean MMR of each geographic region in Greece between two different 10-year subperiods (2000–2009 and 2010–2019). Except for Epirus, all regions of Greece had elevated regional MMRs, particularly in those with the highest asbestos deposits. Notably, the MMR in Epirus decreased from 0.55/100000 (2000–2009) to 0.38/100000 (2010–2019). After 2011, the MMR for men and the general population stabilized. This stability is important since mesothelioma in men is associated with occupational asbestos exposure. The intriguing discovery of a lower MMR in Epirus emphasizes the need to raise awareness of the condition and implement effective public health measures. Conclusions In Greece, the annual rate for males and the whole population reached its highest level in 2011, which is positive and encouraging and may be a sign that the rate will stabilize during the following years. Moreover, this study showed that the actions made in the 1980s regarding public awareness and surveillance directly impacted the decrease in Epirus rates. Future research, continual awareness, information, and recording are needed to monitor the mesothelioma epidemic. Trial registration: Not applicable