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School contact among persons with Hodgkin's disease
American Journal of Epidemiology
|July 1, 1984
Summary
This study investigated if Hodgkin's disease spreads contagiously among high school students. Findings suggest a possible link, as cases were more likely to have attended the same high school or been in the same class.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
- Oncology
Background:
- Hodgkin's disease is a cancer of the lymphatic system.
- The etiology of Hodgkin's disease remains incompletely understood.
- Contagious transmission among adolescents has been hypothesized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the hypothesis that Hodgkin's disease is transmitted contagiously among high school students.
- To determine if young adult cases of Hodgkin's disease attended school together more frequently than expected.
Main Methods:
- Population-based case-control study.
- Interviewed 245 Hodgkin's disease cases and 483 matched controls diagnosed between 1973-1977.
- Analyzed school histories to assess shared school attendance and class enrollment.
Main Results:
- Cases were more likely to be schoolmates (RR=1.2) and classmates (RR=1.9) in high school.
- In junior high, cases were less likely to be schoolmates (RR=0.8) and not classmates.
- Elementary school showed a slight increase in schoolmates (RR=1.4) but no excess of classmates.
Conclusions:
- Evidence suggests a potential contagious transmission of Hodgkin's disease in high school settings.
- The association was specific to high school, not observed in junior or elementary school.
- Further research is needed to confirm transmission patterns and identify causative agents.