title: Mortality among semiconductor and storage device-manufacturing workers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated mortality during 1965 to 1999 among 126,836 workers at two semiconductor facilities and one storage device facility.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared employees' cause-specific mortality rates with general population rates and examined mortality patterns by facility, duration of employment, time since first employment, and work activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Employees had lower-than-expected mortality overall (6579 observed deaths, standardized mortality ratio [SMR] = 65; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 64-67), for all cancers combined (2159 observed, SMR = 78, 95% CI = 75-81) and for other major diseases. Central nervous system cancer was associated with process equipment maintenance at one of the semiconductor facilities (10 observed, SMR = 247, 95% CI = 118-454). Prostate cancer was associated with facilities/laboratories at the storage device facility (18 observed, SMR = 198, (5% CI = 117-313).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further evaluation of workplace exposures or independent investigations of similar occupational groups may clarify the interpretation of associations observed in this study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA. cbeall@ms.soph.uab.edu
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beall
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Herrick
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: Nalini
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sathiakumar
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schymura
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Delzell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D015984:Causality; D002423:Cause of Death; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D016248:Computer Storage Devices; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D012666:Semiconductors; D014707:Vermont / Q000453:epidemiology