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Document ID (ISN)56739
CIS number 91-1554
ISSN - Serial title 0003-9896 - Archives of Environmental Health
Year 1990
Convention or series no.
Author(s) Cantor K.P., Booze C.F.
Title Mortality among aerial pesticide applicators and flight instructors
Bibliographic information Sep.-Oct. 1990, Vol.45, No.5, p.295-302. 22 ref.
Abstract A cohort mortality study was conducted of male aerial pesticide applicators and flight instructors identified from computerised Federal Aviation Administration (USA) medical examination records for 1965-1979. Vital status of 9,677 applicators and 9,727 instructors was determined through January 1, 1980, and standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated. The overall SMR was 127 for applicators (699 deaths) and 93 for instructors (454 deaths). Fatalities from non motor-vehicle accidents, mostly aircraft crashes, were in notable excess (SMR = 1,168 among applicators, 630 among instructors), whereas deaths from most chronic diseases, including all cancer, was below expectation (e.g., for arteriosclerotic heart disease, SMR = 52 among applicators and 50 among instructors). The ability of the study to assess cancer risk among applicators was limited by a relatively brief follow-up period. However, 8 applicators (SMR = 171), but only 1 flight instructor (SMR = 24), died of leukaemia, and small, non significant risk elevations for some other cancer sites among applicators were observed and warrant continued follow-up.
Descriptors (primary) mortality; aircraft pilots; crop protection; pesticides
Descriptors (secondary) leukaemia; fatalities; epidemiologic study
Document type D - Periodical articles
Country / State or ProvinceUSA
Subject(s) Agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry
Broad subject area(s) Industries and occupations
Browse category(ies) Agricultural chemicals