Project Aims

In 1996, the Boston University School of Public Health entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy to design and carry out a medical screening pilot program for former Nevada Test Site workers. The medical screening program is a five year project with two phases. Phase I, a comprehensive needs assessment describing the nature and extent of occupational exposures at the NTS, was completed in September of 1997. The needs assessment was approved and the project was invited to apply for Phase II: the design and implementation of a medical screening program. 

Since the Fall of 1998, the project has been in Phase II: providing a free, confidential medical screening program four times per year in Las Vegas, Nevada. The specific aims of Phase II are:

• to identify and locate those former workers who are "at risk" for harm caused by exposure to radiation, diesel exhaust, silica dust, noise, and/or asbestos.  Beryllium was added to this list of exposures in March 2001.
• to ascertain the health concerns of former workers related to their work at the NTS.
• to communicate risk information to former workers regarding the nature of their health risk and discuss actions that could be taken.
• to provide a medical screening to targeted former workers.
• to assist in the coordination of referrals, diagnostic work-up, and follow-up treatment, including coordination with workers' compensation and other insurance and benefits programs.