Læknablaðið - 15.05.1988, Qupperneq 25

LÆKNABLAÐIÐ
187
mismunandi eftir búsetu og munurinn er mestur
milli íbúa stórborga og dreifbýlis. Dauðsföll úr
krabbameinum eru hlutfallslega fleiri í
stórborgum. Þetta á ekki hvað síst við um
lungnakrabbamein. Það hefði því verið æskilegt
að bera dánartölur bænda saman við það, sem
gerist hjá öðrum, sem búa utan
höfuðborgarsvæðisins. Svo nákvæmar
upplýsingar um dánartölur hérlendis liggja því
miður ekki fyrir, þannig að ekki er unnt að gera
slíkan samanburð.
Niðurstöðurnar, sem hér eru lagðar fram, vekja
spurningar um það, hvort dánarmein eru tengd
búskaparháttum svo sem bústofni, notkun véla,
áburðar og annarra efna. Upplýsingar um þessa
þætti er ekki að finna í félagaskrá lífeyrissjóðsins.
Þar sem rannsóknartíminn er stuttur, verða
niðurstöðurnar varðandi sjaldgæfari dánarmein
tölfræðilega óvissar. Þetta á við um húð- og
blóðkrabbamein. Þegar tímar líða og gerð verður
ný athugun á dánarmeinum bænda, verða
niðurstöður ótvíræðari, einkum ef tekst að bæta
við upplýsingum um búskaparhætti.
SUMMARY
A retrospective cohort study was performed to
determine the cause of death among 5,923 farmers in
lceland. Information on death occurring between 1977
and 1985 was obtained through the Statistical Bureau of
Iceland. The vital status could be ascertained for all
subjects in the study. Expected death rates were
calculated, based on the national rates for males in the
corresponding age groups and calendar years.
The number of deaths from all causes, malignant
neoplasms, lung cancer, ischemic heart disease,
respiratory diseases and accidents were less than
expected in the total cohort and in nearly all subcohorts.
There were no statistical significant excess risk,
however, SMR for cancer of skin was 2.30, SMR for
Hodgkin’s disease was 1.71 and for leukemia SMR was
1.60, in the total cohort.
The results are in concordance with those of most
previous studies among farmers, but because of short
follow-up time the excess risk found for deaths from
skin- and hematological malignancy did not reach
statistical significance. Further follow-up is planned in
the future.
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