OCCUPATION AND LUNG-CANCER MORTALITY AMONG WOMEN - USING OCCUPATION TO TARGET SMOKING CESSATION PROGRAMS FOR WOMEN

Lung cancer mortality rates are increasing for women, despite the fact that 90% of these deaths could be prevented by smoking cessation. Tar geted workplace smoking cessation programs may increase the effectiven ess of lung cancer prevention for women. This study uses proportionate mortality ratio analysis of occupationally coded death certificates, from 28 states between 1979 and 1990, to identify occupations in which women are at high risk of lung cancer mortality. The study found gend er and racial variation in the results for broad occupational groups. Blue-collar occupations associated with potentially carcinogenic workp lace exposures also had elevated proportionate mortality ratios, proba bly reflecting both occupational and tobacco exposure. For women, spec ific occupations such as managers and financial officers revealed sign ificant elevations in lung cancer mortality. Cessation programs target ing women in these occupational groups may increase the effectiveness of lung cancer prevention.