TY - JOUR
TI - Mortality from cancer and other causes among airline cabin attendants in
Europe: A collaborative cohort study in eight countries
AU - Zeeb, H
AU - Blettner, M
AU - Langner, I
AU - Hammer, GP
AU - Ballard, TJ
AU - and Santaquilani, M
AU - Gundestrup, M
AU - Storm, H
AU - Haldorsen, T and
AU - Tveten, U
AU - Hammar, N
AU - Linnersjo, A
AU - Velonakis, E
AU - Tzonou, A
AU - and Auvinen, A
AU - Pukkala, E
AU - Rafnsson, V
AU - Hrafnkelsson, J
JO - American Journal of Epidemiology
PY - 2003
VL - 158
TODO - 1
SP - 35-46
PB - OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC
SN - 0002-9262, 1476-6256
TODO - 10.1093/aje/kwg107
TODO - aviation; cohort stuclies; cosmic radiation; mortality; neoplasms;
occupational exposure
TODO - There is concern about the health effects of exposure to cosmic
radiation during air travel. To study the potential health effects of
this and occupational exposures, the authors investigated mortality
patterns among more than 44,000 airline cabin crew members in Europe. A
cohort study was performed in eight European countries, yielding
approximately 655,000 person-years of follow-up. Observed numbers of
deaths were compared with expected numbers based on national mortality
rates. Among female cabin crew, overall mortality (standardized
mortality ratio (SMR) = 0.80, 96% confidence interval (CI): 0.73, 0.88)
and all-cancer mortality (SMR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.66, 0.95) were slightly
reduced, while breast cancer mortality was slightly but nonsignificantly
increased (SMR = 1.11, 95% CI: 0.82, 1.48). In contrast, overall
mortality (SMR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.18) and mortality from skin
cancer (for malignant melanoma, SMR = 1.93, 95% CI: 0.70, 4.44) among
male cabin crew were somewhat increased. The authors noted excess
mortality from aircraft accidents and from acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome in males. Among airline cabin crew in Europe, there was, no
increase in mortality that could be attributed to cosmic radiation or
other occupational exposures to any substantial extent. The risk of skin
cancer among male crew members requires further-attention.
ER -