Cancer and Noncancer Mortality Among American Seafood Workers

Eric S Johnson,Macodu Sall,Kyung-Mee Choi,Mohammed F Faramawi

doi:10.2188/jea.je20100147

Abstract

BackgroundFew studies have investigated mortality in seafood workers worldwide, and no such study has been conducted in the United States. The objective of this study was to investigate mortality in American seafood workers.MethodsThe study population was derived from 4 states and consisted of 4116 subjects who worked mainly in seafood processing plants. They were followed up from 1966 to 2003. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and proportional mortality ratios (PMRs) were estimated, using the US general population for comparison.ResultsAbout 45% of the cohort was born after 1949. A total of 788 deaths were recorded; 53% of the decedents were female, and 88% were white. The SMRs for stomach cancer and disorders of the thyroid gland in the cohort as a whole were 2.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1–3.8) and 6.1 (95% CI 1.3–18.0), respectively. The SMRs for breast cancer, and occlusion/stenosis of the pre-cerebral/cerebral arteries in the cohort as a whole were 0.5 (95% CI, 0.3–0.9) and 0.5 (95% CI, 0.2–0.8), respectively. The SMR for ischemic heart disease in white females was 0.8 (95% CI, 0.6–0.9).ConclusionsThis cohort had excess deaths from stomach cancer and disorders of the thyroid gland, and deficit of deaths from breast cancer, stroke and ischemic heart disease. The significance of these findings is unknown, especially as less than 20% of the cohort were deceased. Nevertheless, the cohort is unique and important, and further follow-up may shed more light on mortality patterns in this occupational group.

Highlights

METHODSThe seafood industry has experienced tremendous growth in recent years.[1]
The study population (n = 4116) was defined as all people who worked in seafood occupations anytime between 1966 and 1990 and were members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International Pension Fund
The absence of major differences between the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) results in which race was imputed for nondeceased subjects, and the proportional mortality ratios (PMRs) results which were based on complete information on race, is reassuring and indicates that no serious bias resulted from imputing race in the SMR analyses

Summary

Introduction

METHODSThe seafood industry has experienced tremendous growth in recent years.[1]. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that the number of people working in the fishing industry, aquaculture, and related activities worldwide has doubled to 28.5 million since 1970.1 The industry is well known to be one of the most hazardous, with high rates of fatal accidents.[1]. The study population (n = 4116) was defined as all people who worked in seafood occupations anytime between 1966 and 1990 and were members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International Pension Fund. Conclusions: This cohort had excess deaths from stomach cancer and disorders of the thyroid gland, and deficit of deaths from breast cancer, stroke and ischemic heart disease. The significance of these findings is unknown, especially as less than 20% of the cohort were deceased. The cohort is unique and important, and further follow-up may shed more light on mortality patterns in this occupational group

Objectives

Results

Conclusion