[Assessment of risk of mesothelioma: the case of an asbestos-cement production plant in the city of Bari].

OBJECTIVE: In this paper, by means of explorative methods based on geographical analysis, the relationship between the presence of an asbestos-cement factory in the urban area of Bari and malignant mesothelioma cases, occurring between 1980 and 2001 among residents, is analysed.
METHODS: The data source of the 64 cases studied is the national register of mesotheliomas (Renam), the Apulia regional operating centre (Cor-Puglia). Data are analysed by the use of the S + SpatialStats software. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Both individual data analysis and explorative geographic analysis point out an increased risk of disease among people living near the asbestos-cement factory: within an area centred on the location of plants and having a radius of about 1 Km, the estimated risk is 2.38 times above the normal level. Further analytical studies are required.