Citation

Parker DL, Bender AP, Johnson RA, Scharber WK, Williams AN, Marbury MC, Mandel JS. Am. J. Ind. Med. 1989; 15(5): 531-543.

Affiliation

Chronic Disease and Environmental Epidemiology, Minnesota Department of Health, Minneapolis 55440.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1989, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

2741959

Abstract

In 1984, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) began a cohort mortality study of 4,849 workers to follow up concerns with the health and safety of highway maintenance workers (HMWs). A total of 1,530 deaths had occurred, resulting in a standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of 91 (p less than .01) and an all cancer SMR of 84 (p less than .01). There was a significant elevation in the SMR for chronic renal failure among long-term rural workers (SMR = 676, p less than .05). The SMR was also elevated for transportation injuries. The latter SMR was highest among short-term urban workers (SMR = 280, p less than .01). In addition, the SMR for transportation-related injury deaths tended to increase the later the decade of starting work. The SMRs were 137, 259, 502, and 2,145 for urban workers starting work in the decades 1945-1954, 1955-1964, 1965-1974, and 1975-1984, respectively. This study demonstrates the possible adverse health effects of highway maintenance work and the need to comprehensively evaluate injury mortality among selected occupational cohorts.

Language: en