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Occupation and mortality related to alcohol, drugs and sexual habits

Occupation and mortality related to alcohol, drugs and sexual habits
Occupation and mortality related to alcohol, drugs and sexual habits
BACKGROUND: To identify opportunities for targeted prevention, we explored differences in occupational mortality from diseases and injuries related to alcohol consumption, sexual habits and drug abuse. METHODS: Using data on all deaths among men and women aged 16-74 years in England and Wales during 1991-2000, we derived age- and social class-standardized proportional mortality ratios (PMRs) by occupation for cause of death categories defined a priori as potentially related to alcohol consumption, sexual habits or drug abuse. RESULTS: The highest mortality from alcohol-related diseases and injuries was observed in publicans and bar staff (both sexes) and in male caterers, cooks and kitchen porters and seafarers. Male seafarers had significantly elevated PMRs for cirrhosis (179), 'other alcohol-related diseases' (275), cancers of the liver (155), oral cavity (275) and pharynx (267) and injury by fall on the stairs (187). PMRs for human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) were particularly high in tailors and dressmakers (918, 95% CI: 369-1890, in men; 804, 95% CI: 219-2060, in women) and male hairdressers (918, 95% CI: 717-1160). Most jobs with high mortality from HIV/AIDS also had more deaths than expected from viral hepatitis. Of seven jobs with significantly high PMRs for both drug dependence and accidental poisoning by drugs, four were in the construction industry (male painters and decorators, bricklayers and masons, plasterers, and roofers and glaziers). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight major differences between occupations in mortality from diseases and injuries caused by alcohol, sexual habits and drug abuse. Priorities for preventive action include alcohol-related disorders in male seafarers and drug abuse in construction workers
AIDS, alcohol, drug abuse, HIV, occupation
0962-7480
348-353
Coggon, D.
2b43ce0a-cc61-4d86-b15d-794208ffa5d3
Harris, E.C.
3e4bd946-3f09-45a1-8725-d35e80dd7971
Brown, Tom
1cd7df32-b945-4ca1-8b59-a51a30191472
Rice, S.
df8be5fd-d343-4379-9487-318581b6630b
Palmer, K.T.
0cfe63f0-1d33-40ff-ae8c-6c33601df850
Coggon, D.
2b43ce0a-cc61-4d86-b15d-794208ffa5d3
Harris, E.C.
3e4bd946-3f09-45a1-8725-d35e80dd7971
Brown, Tom
1cd7df32-b945-4ca1-8b59-a51a30191472
Rice, S.
df8be5fd-d343-4379-9487-318581b6630b
Palmer, K.T.
0cfe63f0-1d33-40ff-ae8c-6c33601df850

Coggon, D., Harris, E.C., Brown, Tom, Rice, S. and Palmer, K.T. (2010) Occupation and mortality related to alcohol, drugs and sexual habits. Occupational Medicine, 60 (5), 348-353. (doi:10.1093/occmed/kqq040). (PMID:20407041)

Record type: Article

Abstract

BACKGROUND: To identify opportunities for targeted prevention, we explored differences in occupational mortality from diseases and injuries related to alcohol consumption, sexual habits and drug abuse. METHODS: Using data on all deaths among men and women aged 16-74 years in England and Wales during 1991-2000, we derived age- and social class-standardized proportional mortality ratios (PMRs) by occupation for cause of death categories defined a priori as potentially related to alcohol consumption, sexual habits or drug abuse. RESULTS: The highest mortality from alcohol-related diseases and injuries was observed in publicans and bar staff (both sexes) and in male caterers, cooks and kitchen porters and seafarers. Male seafarers had significantly elevated PMRs for cirrhosis (179), 'other alcohol-related diseases' (275), cancers of the liver (155), oral cavity (275) and pharynx (267) and injury by fall on the stairs (187). PMRs for human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) were particularly high in tailors and dressmakers (918, 95% CI: 369-1890, in men; 804, 95% CI: 219-2060, in women) and male hairdressers (918, 95% CI: 717-1160). Most jobs with high mortality from HIV/AIDS also had more deaths than expected from viral hepatitis. Of seven jobs with significantly high PMRs for both drug dependence and accidental poisoning by drugs, four were in the construction industry (male painters and decorators, bricklayers and masons, plasterers, and roofers and glaziers). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight major differences between occupations in mortality from diseases and injuries caused by alcohol, sexual habits and drug abuse. Priorities for preventive action include alcohol-related disorders in male seafarers and drug abuse in construction workers

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More information

Published date: 20 April 2010
Keywords: AIDS, alcohol, drug abuse, HIV, occupation

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 150247
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/150247
ISSN: 0962-7480
PURE UUID: a6e4c2ab-a0a8-4d4a-927a-630543a1721b
ORCID for D. Coggon: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1930-3987
ORCID for E.C. Harris: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-8037-566X

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Date deposited: 04 May 2010 15:58
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:39

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Contributors

Author: D. Coggon ORCID iD
Author: E.C. Harris ORCID iD
Author: Tom Brown
Author: S. Rice
Author: K.T. Palmer

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