Mesothelioma and Education Workers (MEWS): experiences of presentation, diagnosis, treatment and care.
This study aims to generate a critical account of the experiences of presentation, diagnosis, treatment and care for current and former school-based education workers with mesothelioma. At present, education is not considered a high-risk industry for malignant mesothelioma.
Education employees do not fit the typical patient profile of mesothelioma and asbestos exposure. Despite this, however, many education workers work in old school buildings and ‘pre-fab’ school accommodation in which asbestos is likely to be present.
The objectives of the study are:
- To access and analyse national and regional organisational data for some indication of incidence of mesothelioma amongst school-based education workers
- To perform a scoping review of published research examining the experience of school-based education workers who have developed mesothelioma. The published scoping review can be viewed
- To conduct stakeholder consultation to gain insight into the experiences of school-based education workers with mesothelioma
To use the findings from this project to inform a research proposal for an empirical study aiming to gain further insight into the mesothelioma patient experience.
Report
In December 2024, we published a report of this study.
Articles
In September 2024, was published in the British Safety Council's Safety Management magazine.
In July 2024, an article was published in the journal People, Place and Policy.
Please see some further resources:
- - a Society of Occupational Medicine webinar from March 2024
- which highlights the danger of asbestos in schools, and contains an interview with the daughter of a teacher who developed mesothelioma.
- Article in The Conversation: .
For more information about this study contact Dr Bethany Taylor (btaylor3@sheffield.ac.uk).