IJE Advance Access originally published online on October 25, 2008
International Journal of Epidemiology 2009 38(2):594-606; doi:10.1093/ije/dyn220
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Leukaemia and occupation: a New Zealand Cancer Registry-based case–control Study
1 Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand.
2 Occupational Medicine Specialists, Auckland, New Zealand.
3 Cancer Epidemiology Unit, CeRMS and CPO Piemonte, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
4 Research Centre for M
ori Health and Development, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand.
5 Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
6 International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France.
7 Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
* Corresponding author. Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University Wellington Campus, Private Box 756, Wellington, New Zealand. E-mail: d.j.mclean{at}massey.ac.nz
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Abstract |
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Background To examine the association between occupation and leukaemia.
Methods We interviewed 225 cases (aged 20–75 years) notified to the New Zealand Cancer Registry during 2003–04, and 471 controls randomly selected from the Electoral Roll collecting demographic details, information on potential confounders and a comprehensive employment history. Associations between occupation and leukaemia were analysed using logistic regression adjusted for gender, age, ethnicity and smoking.
Results Elevated odds ratios (ORs) were observed in agricultural sectors including horticulture/fruit growing (OR: 2.62, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.51, 4.55), plant nurseries (OR: 7.51, 95% CI: 1.85, 30.38) and vegetable growing (OR: 3.14, 95% CI: 1.18, 8.40); and appeared greater in women (ORs: 4.71, 7.75 and 7.98, respectively). Elevated ORs were also observed in market farmers/crop growers (OR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.12, 3.02), field crop/vegetable growers (OR: 3.98, 95% CI: 1.46, 10.85), market gardeners (OR: 5.50, 95% CI: 1.59, 19.02), and nursery growers/workers (OR: 4.23, 95% CI: 1.34, 13.35); also greater in women (ORs: 3.48, 7.62, 15.74 and 11.70, respectively). These elevated ORs were predominantly for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Several associations persisted after semi-Bayes adjustment. Elevated ORs were observed in rubber/plastics products machine operators (OR: 3.76, 95% CI: 1.08, 13.08), predominantly in plastic product manufacturing. CLL was also elevated in tailors and dressmakers (OR: 7.01, 95% CI: 1.78, 27.68), cleaners (OR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.00, 4.14) and builder's labourers (OR: 4.03, 95% CI: 1.30, 12.53).
Conclusions These findings suggest increased leukaemia risks associated with certain agricultural, manufacturing, construction and service occupations in New Zealand.
Keywords Leukaemia, occupation, case–control study, agricultural workers, plastics industry
Accepted 24 September 2008
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