Mortality of U.S. embalmers and funeral directors

Details

• Personal Author:
  Blair, Austin ; Hayes RB ; Herrick, Robert F. ; Mahar H ; Stewart PA
• Description:
  A large series of deceased embalmers and funeral directors was assembled from multiple sources throughout the United States which should allow an examination of the risk for specific cell types of leukemia and other lymphatic and hematopoietic system malignancies and allow assessment of potential subgroups at risk. After duplicates were removed, 6,651 potential study subjects were identified, of which death certificates were obtained for 5,265. Nonsignificant excesses were found for malignancies of the buccal cavity and pharynx and for nasopharyngeal cancer. No sinonasal cancers were noted but 1.7 were expected. A statistically significant excess of colon cancer was noted and a nonsignificant excess of brain and other central nervous system cancer was observed among whites only. Both whites and nonwhites exhibited significant excesses of malignancies of the lymphatic and hematopoietic systems. Myeloid leukemia and leukemia of other and unspecified cell types was in excess. No excess of lymphatic leukemia was observed. NonHodgkin's lymphoma, polycythemia vera, and myelofibrosis each showed elevated incidences. A marked excess of multiple myeloma was noted in nonwhites. In whites and nonwhites an excess of chronic nephritis was observed. No excess of liver cirrhosis was observed. There was no direct relation between the occurrence of lymphatic and hematopoietic system diseases and the specific job held in the funeral industry. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Blood Epidemiology Formaldehyde Mortality Neoplasms Nervous System Diseases Occupational Health Race Factors Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety

  More +
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Epidemiology Cancer-rates CNS Cancer Embalmer Formaldehyde Formaldehydes Leukemia Leukemogenesis Mortality-surveys Neoplasm Nervous-system-disorders NIOSH-Author Occupational Mortality Preservatives Racial-factors Risk-factors

  More +
• ISSN:
  0271-3586
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  18
• Issue:
  6
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00197705
• Citation:
  Am J Ind Med 1990 Dec; 18(6):641-652
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1991
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:0988a1a442e48e7fd6cb9d5e9b1bb89b1830ad90f6129c671b72d271dfaa926a235714eea2ff486cd6d187770544edf38756f72e0aed6a472dd8b1d460bcb073
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/205148/cdc_205148_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 731.08 KB ]