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Public Health Activities

ATSDR completed the following public health activities:

In 2005 ATSDR began a full study of specific birth defects and childhood cancers in children born to mothers who lived on base any time during their pregnancies from 1968-1985.

Health Studies FAQs

Reports and Studies

ATSDR Assessment of the Evidence for the Drinking Water Contaminants at Camp Lejeune and Specific Cancers and Other Diseases
ATSDR integrated the findings from its Camp Lejeune studies with findings from studies of other populations exposed occupationally or environmentally to the chemicals detected in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune: trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (also known as perchloroethylene or PCE), vinyl chloride and benzene. The purpose was to assess the strength of the evidence supporting causality of adverse health effects from exposures to the drinking water contaminants at Camp Lejeune. This report represents ATSDR’s assessment of the state of evidence at this time.

Camp Lejeune Drinking Water Public Health Assessment
This report evaluates whether past volatile organic compound (VOC) exposures to chemicals at Camp Lejeune were likely to result in exposure-related disease, assesses additional VOC exposure scenarios requested by the Camp Lejeune Community Assistance Panel (CAP), and evaluates more recent exposure to lead in drinking water at Camp Lejeune (2005-2013).

Evaluation of contaminated drinking water and male breast cancer at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina: a case control study
The purpose of this study was to determine if Marines who were exposed to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune were more likely to have male breast cancer.

Evaluation of mortality among Marines and Navy personnel exposed to contaminated drinking water at USMC Base Camp Lejeune: A retrospective cohort study
The purpose of this study was to determine whether residential exposures of Marines and Navy personnel to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune increased risk of mortality from cancers and other chronic diseases.

Mortality study of civilian employees exposed to contaminated drinking water at USMC Base Camp Lejeune: A retrospective cohort study
The purpose of the study was to determine whether potential exposures to the drinking water contaminants at Camp Lejeune are associated with increased risk of death from specific cancers and other chronic diseases among civilian workers employed at the base.

Birth Defects and Childhood Cancers Study
The current study is entitled Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds in Drinking Water and Specific Birth Defects and Childhood Cancers, United States Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Interviews of parents started in April 2005. The study will try to determine if children exposed to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune in utero any time from 1968-1985 had specific health effects.

Final plans: Contaminated Drinking Water and Health Effects at Marine Base Camp Lejeune, August 2009[PDF, 550 KB]
This document considers the recommendations and evaluations from several expert panels and external reports and defines ATSDR’s plans for completing our research activities at Camp Lejeune.

An Assessment of the Feasibility of Conducting Future Epidemiological Studies at USMC Base Camp Lejeune [PDF, 543 KB]
ATSDR is planning to conduct a mortality study and a health questionnaire survey of active duty personnel, dependents, and civilian employees who were at the base during the period of drinking water contamination. Information on these proposed studies can be found in the report.

1998 Study on Volatile Organic Compounds in Drinking Water and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
In 1998 a study titled Volatile Organic Compounds in Drinking Water and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes was conducted to determine if there was a link between mothers who were exposed to contaminated drinking water supplies from Camp Lejeune and infants who were small for gestational age (SGA). The study also looked at preterm birth and lower birth weight babies. The study showed that exposure to VOC-contaminated drinking water was linked with higher risk for SGA among male infants. Exposure to VOC-contaminated drinking water was also linked with SGA and lower birth weight among infants born to subgroups of the mothers.

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