Concepts for NASA longitudinal health studies
Nicogossian, A.E.; Pool, S.L.; Leach, C.S.; Moseley, E.; Rambaut, P.C.
Aviation Space and Environmental Medicine 54(12 Part 2): S68-S72
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0095-6562 PMID: 6661138 Document Number: 220728
Clinical data collected from a 15-year study of the homogeneous group of pre-Shuttle astronauts have revealed no significant long-term effects from spaceflight. The current hypothesis suggests that repeated exposures to the space environment in the Shuttle era will similarly have no long-term health effects. However, a much more heterogeneous group of astronauts and non-astronaut scientists will fly in Shuttle, and data on this group's adaptation to the space environment and readaptation to Earth are currently sparse. In addition, very little information is available concerning the short- and long-term medical consequences of long duration exposure to space and subsequent readaptation to the Earth environment. In this paper, retrospective clinical information on astronauts is reviewed and concepts for conducting epidemiological studies examining long-term health effects of spaceflight on humans, including associated occupational risks factors, are presented.