CANCER AND OTHER CAUSES OF DEATH AMONG MALE AND FEMALE FARMERS FROM 23 STATES

Occupation and industry codes on death certificates from 23 states for 1984-1988 were used to evaluate mortality risks among white and nonwh ite, male and female farmers. Proportionate mortality and proportionat e cancer mortality ratios were calculated using deaths among nonfarmer s from the same states to generate expected numbers. Among farmers the re were 119,648 deaths among white men, 2,400 among white women, 11,44 6 among nonwhite men, and 2,066 among nonwhite women. Deficits occurre d in all race-sex groups for infective and parasitic diseases, all can cer combined, lung cancer, liver cancer, diseases of the nervous syste m, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, and emphysema. As reported in oth er studies, white male farmers had excesses of cancer of the lymphatic and hematopoietic system, lip, eye, brain, and prostate. Excesses of cancers of the pancreas, kidney, bone, and thyroid were new findings. Regional patterns were evident, particularly among white men. Signific ant excesses for accidents, vascular lesions of the central nervous sy stem (CNS), and cancers of the prostate tended to occur in most geogra phic regions, while excesses for mechanical suffocation, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and cancers of the lip, brain, and the lymphatic and hemato poietic system were limited to the Central states. Increases among non white men were similar to those in white men for some causes of death (vascular lesions of the CNS and cancers of the pancreas and prostate) , but were absent for others (lymphatic and hematopoietic system, lip, eye, kidney, and brain). Women (white and nonwhite) had excesses for vascular lesions of the CNS, disease of the genitourinary system (whit e women only), and cancers of the stomach and cervix (nonwhite women o nly). Cancer of the buccal cavity and pharynx was slightly elevated am ong women, and white women had nonsignificant excesses of multiple mye loma and leukemia. Excesses for leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma oc curred among white men and women, but not among nonwhites. Excesses fo r several types of accidental deaths were seen among all race-sex groU pS.