A new health map has revealed people in Essex have historically contracted mesothelioma at a higher rate when compared to other parts of the UK.
The condition, a type of cancer that most often starts in the covering of the lungs but can also start in the abdomen, is linked to asbestos exposure.
The wide-ranging study, compiled by the Small Area Statistics Health Unit, compared relative risk rates for 14 total serious conditions and diseases.
These include stillbirths, prostate cancer, brain cancer, skin cancer, bladder cancer, leukaemia, lung cancer, mesothelioma, heart disease, and low birth weights in males and females across the UK. See the full details from your ward here
Mesothelioma amongst females in the mid-Essex region is considerably higher than elsewhere and highest in Bicknacre with a relative risk of 2.81 cases per 100,000 population in females and 1.51 in men.
The survey was conducted to provide baseline information for policy makers and the public on geographic patterns of environmental agents and disease.
A note attached to the statistics by way of explanation added: "It is important to note that we are not making direct causal links between the mapped environmental agents and health conditions.
"The maps provide information about risks and concentrations for areas, but risks and exposures for individuals living in those areas may differ."
