Mortality from six work-related cancers among African Americans and Latinos

Background Ethnic minorities have been omitted from many occupational healt h studies, despite their substantial contributions to the labor force and d ocumented cases of high exposures in some settings. To describe the occurre nce of potentially work-related cancers among African American and Latino W orkers, we conducted an epidemiologic study based on death certificate data . Methods Data were obtained from 21 states during 1985-1992. Directly adjust ed proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs) and standardized mortality rate ra tios (SRRs) for ages 20-64 years were computed for cancers of the lung, nas al cavity, pleura, and peritoneum, malignant melanoma and leukemia using th e mortality data and population counts from the 1990 census. Results Proportionate mortality was generally low for both groups, but Afri can Americans had higher than expected mortality rates for leukemia and can cers of the lung, nasal cavity, and peritoneum. industry-specific analyses indicate excess leukemia among African American men in the rubber industry (PMR 2.08 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29-3.35), Latino men in textile (P MR 2.31, 95% CI 0.81-5.13) and wood industries (PMR 2.03, 95% CI 0.81-5.13) , and Latino women in the chemical industry (PMR 2.18, 95% CI 0.59-8.10), a mong other findings. Excess cancer of the pleura and peritoneum was observe d among workers with a variety of usual occupations, consistent with widesp read exposure to asbestos. Conclusions This study demonstrates the utility of surveillance data bases for generating basic epidemiologic information on historically neglected wo rkers. Leads about specific workplace exposure can be followed up in move d etailed studies. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.