Minnesota highway maintenance worker cohort mortality study: methods and noncancer mortality.
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.
Parker
D L
DL
Chronic Disease and Environmental Epidemiology, Minnesota Department of Health, Minneapolis 55440.
Bender
A P
AP
Johnson
R A
RA
Scharber
W K
WK
Williams
A N
AN
Marbury
M C
MC
Mandel
J S
JS
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000401:mortality; D008910:Minnesota; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000401:mortality*