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Cited by 46Spaceflight effects on biologyEffects of Radiation ExposureRadiation Dose and Imaging

Longitudinal study of astronaut health: Mortality in the years 1959–1991

Peterson, Leif E., Pepper, Larry J., Hamm, Peggy B., Gilbert, Susan L.·1993·Radiation Research
DOI 10.2307/3578364
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Abstract

We conducted a historical cohort study of mortality among 195 astronauts who were exposed to space and medical sources of radiation between 1959 and 1991. Cumulative occupational and medical radiation exposures were obtained from the astronaut radiation exposure history data base. Causes of death were obtained from obligatory death certificates and autopsy reports that were on file in the medical records. There was a total of 20 deaths that occurred during the 32-year follow-up period of which 16 were due to accidents. The all-cause standardized mortality ratio (SMR) was 181 (95% confidence interval 110, 279). There was 1 cancer death in the buccal cavity and pharyngeal ICD-9 rubric whose occurrence was significantly beyond expectation. Mortality for coronary disease was 53% lower than expected (2 deaths; SMR = 47; 95% confidence limits 5, 168). The crude death rate for 12 occupationally related accidents was 445 deaths per 100,000 person-years and was an order of magnitude greater than accidental death rates in the mining industries. The SMR of 1346 for fatal accidents was significantly beyond expectation (16 deaths; 95% confidence limits 769, 2168) and was similar to SMRs for accidents among aerial pesticide applicators. The 10-year cumulative risk of occupational fatalities based on the exponential, Weibull, Gompertz, and linear-exponential distributions was 10%. Mortality from motor vehicle accidents was slightly higher than expected, but was not significant (1 death; SMR = 165; 95% confidence limits 2,922). Radiation exposures from medical procedures accounted for a majority of cumulative dose when compared with space radiation exposures. Overall, it was found that astronauts are at a health disadvantage as a result of catastrophic accidents.

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  • There have been no studies conclusively demonstrating that exposures to the unique doses and dose rates found in the space radiation environment will result in an increased risk of cancer mortality when compared to the U.S. population.

    “There have been no studies conclusively demonstrating that exposures to the unique doses and dose rates found in the space radiation environment will result in an increased risk of cancer mortality when compared to the U.S. population [32,33,34,35,36].”

    From Space Radiation: The number one risk to astronaut health beyond low earth orbit (2014) · cites this paper as [34]

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Authors
Peterson, L. E., Pepper, L. J., Hamm, P. B., & Gilbert, S. L.
Affiliations
Kelsey-Seybold Clinic (US)
ORCID
Peterson, Leif E.
Venue
Radiation Research
Publisher
JSTOR
Published
1993-02
Volume
133
Issue
2
Pages
257
ISSN
0033-7587 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.2307/3578364
OpenAlex
W2016437247
Cited by
46
References
22
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 2
FWCI
0.65
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Radiation Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • NASA Technical Reports Server (NASA)
Funders
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Spaceflight effects on biology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Effects of Radiation Exposure
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Radiation Dose and Imaging
Keywords
space radiation exposure, occupational radiation exposure, medical radiation exposure, fatal accidents, standardized mortality ratio, buccal cavity cancer, motor vehicle accidents, cumulative radiation dose
MeSH terms
Cause of Death, Cosmic Radiation, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Mortality, Radiation, Radiography, Radionuclide Imaging, Space Flight, United States, Cohort Studies, Occupational Exposure

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