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Mortality risks in Australian men by occupational groups, 1968‐1978
Author(s) -
McMichael Anthony J.,
Hartshorne Jillian M.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1982.tb132292.x
Subject(s) - medicine , socioeconomic status , demography , stomach cancer , cancer , disease , gerontology , environmental health , population , sociology
Analysis of patterns of male mortality in Australia during 1968‐1978 shows elevated death rates from liver cirrhosis, alcoholism and alcoholic psychosis in various rural, service, and “blue‐collar” occupations. The risks of mortality from lung cancer and cancers of the upper alimentary tract and larynx —sites influenced by alcohol and tobacco consump‐tion—are raised in the latter two groups. In contrast, the risks of mortality from cancer of the colon, thought to be influenced by dietary “affluence”, are consistently higher for professional and “white‐ collar” groups. As reported in other populations, stomach cancer mortality risks are higher for service and blue‐collar groups. The risks of mortality from coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease are also higher, albeit moderately, for these two groups. The consideration of personal behaviour as a reflection of socioeconomic and subcultural influences is a prerequisite to effective community health education.