Open AccessRisk of Lung Cancer among Japanese Coal Miners on Hazard Risk and Interaction between Smoking and Coal Mining
Author(s) -
Miyazaki Motonobu,
Une Hiroshi
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of occupational health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 59
ISSN - 1348-9585
DOI - 10.1539/joh.43.225
Subject(s) - coal , hazard ratio , lung cancer , coal mining , medicine , environmental health , coal dust , hazard , proportional hazards model , waste management , engineering , confidence interval , chemistry , organic chemistry
Risk of Lung Cancer among Japanese Coal Miners on Hazard Risk and Interaction between Smoking and Coal Mining: Motonobu Miyazaki, et al. Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Fukuoka University —This article examines whether an association is found between lung cancer and coal mining and also whether a correlation is found between smoking and coal mining that relates to the risk of lung cancer in Japanese coal miners. A cohort study was performed in former coal mine areas. The survey was carried out between 1987 and 1989, and was extended in a follow‐up period to 1995. 5,818 Japanese males (1,796 coal miners and 4,022 non‐coal miners) aged from 40 to 69 yr responded to a mail questionnaire that included occupational history and smoking habits. The data were analysed with Cox's proportional hazards model. Significant differences in hazard ratios for lung cancer were recognized in coal miners with >15yr of work (Hazard ratio=2.08, 95% Cl: 1.01‐4.27) and current smokers with >20 cigarettes/day (Hazard ratio=5.41, 95% Cl: 1.26‐23.28). As regards the interaction of coal mining and smoking, the hazard ratios were 2.04 (95% Cl: 0.13‐32.83) for coal miners who had never smoked, 4.71 (95% Cl: 0.62‐35.56) for non‐coal miners who were ex‐smokers or current smokers, and 6.88 (95% Cl: 0.92‐51.65) for coal miners who were ex‐smokers or current smokers compared with non‐coal miners who had never smoked. The interaction of coal mining and smoking for the risk of lung cancer was likely to be additive rather than synergistic.