title: A retrospective cohort mortality study of a phosphate fertilizer production facility.
abstract: A retrospective cohort mortality study of phosphate fertilizer production workers was undertaken to determine whether this group is at increased risk of dying from any cause, particularly from lung cancer. A total of 3,199 workers who had ever been employed at one facility were included in this investigation. These workers were followed for vital status ascertainment from their first date of employment up to December 1, 1977, or the date of death, whichever occurred first. Overall, no statistically significant elevations in cause-specific mortality were observed for the entire study population. However, when the analysis was stratified by duration of employment, and length of follow-up, a statistically significant (P less than .05) excess in lung cancer mortality was observed among workers with more than 10 yr of employment and follow-up (standardized mortality ratio = 411). Because of the small number of deaths involved, and because we had prior knowledge of a lung cancer cluster at this plant, we believe that these findings should be viewed as suggestive, and that other investigations in plants with similar exposures are needed to clarify whether an occupationally related lung cancer excess truly exists.
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Stayner
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meinhardt
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lemen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bayliss
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Herrick
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Reeve
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Halperin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis; D003644:Death Certificates; D005260:Female; D005308:Fertilizers; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000506:poisoning*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D005308:Fertilizers; D010710:Phosphates