Abstract: Four longitudinal studies of mortality and morbidity by occupation based on individual record linkage of information and two cross sectional studies of mortality were compared in order to identify occupations at high risk of ischemic heart disease.
Results: An increased risk of ischemic heart disease was found in more than one country in drivers of buses, taxies and lorries, in bakers, in naval officers and fishermen, in hotel and restaurant workers, in leading police, customs and other uniformed men, in barbers and hairdressers, in warehouse and wholesale staff, as well as in laboratory assistants and in radio and telegraph operators.
Discussion: Occupations found at high risk in Denmark was also found in Great Britain and Italy. These occupations may be at genuine high risk. None of these groups work day-work only and several of the groups have psychologically demanding work but unsatisfactory decision authority.
Conclusion: Identification of occupations at high risk may help to develop focused preventive strategies.
National Institute of Occupational Health, Denmark (FT)
Centre of Biochemical and Occupational Epidemiology, Denmark (FT)
Denmark’s Central Bureau of Statistics (OA)
Unit of Epidemiology, Local Health Authority, Turin (GC)
LS Medical Analysis Section, Office of Population Studies and
Surveys, London (HF)
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL Medical School,
University College London (MGM)
Correspondence to: Finn Tuchsen, National Institute of Occupational
Health, Lers Parkall‚ 105, DK-2100 Copenhagen
, Denmark. Phone +45 39 29 97 11, ext. 438. Telefax +45 37 27
01 07. E-mail: ft@ami.dk
Thank-you to Finn Tuchsen, the authors of this article, and the American Journal of Industrial Medicine for their permissison to post this information.