Time-period mortality patterns in a Gaseous Diffusion Plant workforce.
BACKGROUND
We sub-divided a cohort of 6820 workers at the Paducah (KY) Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) which was traced from 1953 to 2003. The subdivisions were made to assess the mortality risks in a sub-group of workers employed solely during the plant's refit period, a time of suspected higher exposure to metal dusts (nickel, arsenic, chromium and uranium) and trichloroethylene.


METHODS
This article describes a comparison of exposures and causes of death for 754 workers employed exclusively during the period of 1975-1979, with 1554 workers who worked in this period as well as other years. This interval was when the gaseous diffusion cascade facilities were re-fit. The workers employed 'only' during this period have a variety of deterministic factors (age-at-hire, duration of employment) that distinguish this sub-group of employees from the 'long-term' workforce.


RESULTS
The 'only 1975-1979' workers had a larger fraction of minorities and female workers. This 'only' sub-group was disproportionately employed in unskilled labor positions. The 'only' workers were younger than the referent group, and a 14-year earlier mean age at death. The all-cause mortality standardized rate ratio [SRR] was 1.58 [95% Cl: 0.97-2.42]. The 'only' group was significantly different from the 'ever' workers with respect to suicides, SRR = 3.74 [95% Cl: 1.86-6.69], and for homicides, SRR = 11.71 [95% Cl: 3.20-30.03].


CONCLUSIONS
These elevated mortality risks do not seem to be due to PGDP employment exposures to metal dusts or trichloroethylene. Socio-economic factors may be a determinant for the patterns of suicides and murders described for this sub-group of employees. These findings provide guidance for communities with a dominant local employer. Persons who experience short-term hiring may warrant public health services to mitigate their risk of tragic deaths. A case-control study of these deaths is recommended to clarify individual risk behaviors.
Aldrich
Timothy E
TE
College of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA. aldrich@mail.etsu.edu
Seidu
Dazar
D
Bahr
Debra
D
Freitas
Samantha
S
Brion
Gail M
GM
Tollerud
David
D
D017677:Age Distribution; D002617:Chemical Industry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004391:Dust; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D007629:Kentucky / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009026:Mortality; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D014241:Trichloroethylene / Q000009:adverse effects*
D004391:Dust; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D052638:Particulate Matter; D014241:Trichloroethylene