Statistical association between cancer incidence and major-cause mortality, and estimated residential exposure to air emissions from petroleum and chemical plants

Journal Article · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.8454319· OSTI ID:5927748

Kaldor, J; Harris, J A; Glazer, E; Glaser, S; Neutra, R; Mayberry, R; Nelson, V; Robinson, L; Reed, D

An ecologic study design was used to investigate the relationship between exposure to air emissions produced by the petroleum and chemical industries, and average annual cancer incidence and major cause mortality rates among whites in Contra Costa County, California. Estimates for the exposure to major industrial sources of sulfur dioxide, hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen were used to subdivide the county by level of exposure to petroleum refinery and chemical plant emissions. Cancer incidence and major cause mortality rates were then calculated for whites in each of the exposure areas. In both males and females, residential exposure to petroleum and chemical air emissions was associated with an increased incidence of cancer of the buccal cavity and pharynx. In males, age-adjusted incidence rates for cancers of the stomach, lung, prostate and kidney and urinary organs were also associated with petroleum and chemical plant air emission exposures. In both sexes, a strong positive association was found between degree of residential exposure and death rates from cardiovascular disease and cancer, and a less strong positive association between exposure and death rates from cerebrovascular disease. There was also a positive association in men for deaths from cirrhosis of the liver. Although these observed associations occurred across areas of similar socioeconomic and broad occupational class, confounding variables and the ecologic fallacy must be considered as possible explanations. In particular, the strong findings in men suggest an occupational explanation of the cancer incidence trends, and the effect observed in cirrhosis mortality suggests that lifestyle variables such as alcohol consumption were not adequately controlled for. 26 references, 1 figure, 6 tables.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA
• OSTI ID: 5927748
• Journal Information: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States) Vol. 54; ISSN EVHPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
BODY
CALIFORNIA
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
CORRELATIONS
DATA
DATA ANALYSIS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DISEASES
DISEASE INCIDENCE
DISEASES
EPIDEMIOLOGY
FEDERAL REGION IX
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
GLANDS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDUSTRY
INFORMATION
KIDNEYS
LIFE STYLES
LIVER CIRRHOSIS
LUNGS
MALE GENITALS
MORTALITY
NEOPLASMS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
POLLUTION
PROSTATE
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
STATISTICAL DATA
STOMACH
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
URINARY TRACT
USA
VASCULAR DISEASES