Occupation and cancer - follow-up of 15 million people in five Nordic countries

Udgivelsesdato: 2009-null We present up to 45 years of cancer incidence data by occupational category for the Nordic populations. The study covers the 15 million people aged 30-64 years in the 1960, 1970, 1980/1981 and/or 1990 censuses in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, and the 2.8 mil...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta Oncologica
Main Authors: Pukkala, Eero, Martinsen, Jan Ivar, Lynge, Elsebeth, Gunnarsdottir, Holmfridur Kolbrun, Sparén, Pär, Tryggvadottir, Laufey, Weiderpass, Elisabete, Kjaerheim, Kristina
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/occupation-and-cancer--followup-of-15-million-people-in-five-nordic-countries(1604f930-3681-11df-8ed1-000ea68e967b).html
https://doi.org/10.1080/02841860902913546
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Summary:Udgivelsesdato: 2009-null We present up to 45 years of cancer incidence data by occupational category for the Nordic populations. The study covers the 15 million people aged 30-64 years in the 1960, 1970, 1980/1981 and/or 1990 censuses in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, and the 2.8 million incident cancer cases diagnosed in these people in a follow-up until about 2005. The study was undertaken as a cohort study with linkage of individual records based on the personal identity codes used in all the Nordic countries. In the censuses, information on occupation for each person was provided through free text in self-administered questionnaires. The data were centrally coded and computerised in the statistical offices. For the present study, the original occupational codes were reclassified into 53 occupational categories and one group of economically inactive persons. All Nordic countries have a nation-wide registration of incident cancer cases during the entire study period. For the present study the incident cancer cases were classified into 49 primary diagnostic categories. Some categories have been further divided according to sub-site or morphological type. The observed number of cancer cases in each group of persons defined by country, sex, age, period and occupation was compared with the expected number calculated from the stratum specific person years and the incidence rates for the national population. The result was presented as a standardised incidence ratio, SIR, defined as the observed number of cases divided by the expected number. For all cancers combined (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer), the study showed a wide variation among men from an SIR of 0.79 (95% confidence interval 0.66-0.95) in domestic assistants to 1.48 (1.43-1.54) in waiters. The occupations with the highest SIRs also included workers producing beverage and tobacco, seamen and chimney sweeps. Among women, the SIRs varied from 0.58 (0.37-0.87) in seafarers to 1.27 (1.19-1.35) in tobacco workers. Low SIRs were found for ...