Mortality among Former Shipbreaking Workers—A 13‐Year Retrospective Follow‐up Study in Taiwan

Abstract

Mortality among Former Shipbreaking Workers – A 13‐Year retrospective Follow‐up Study in Taiwan: Yi‐Kuen Liu, et al. Institute of Environmental Health, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taiwan—This study examined the mortality among shipbreaking workers from 1985 to 1997, after the shipbreaking industry was banned in 1985–1986. The study cohort consisted of men including 2,850 flame cutters, 871 lifters, 240 oddjobbers and 225 other workers registered in 1985 at Kaohsiung Shipbreaking Workers Union. Mortality (n=336) data examined were obtained from the Vital Statistics Registry from January 1985 to December 1997. The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and logistic regression were used to estimate the risk of mortality from neoplasms, injuries and other causes. Compared to the local reference population, the deaths that were significantly higher than the expected numbers among all workers included deaths from all cumulative causes (SMR=1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.00–1.23), and deaths from external causes of injury and poisoning (SMR=1.75, 95% CI =1.47–2.09). Flame cutters in the youngest group, on the other hand, had very significant excess deaths from nasopharynx neoplasm (SMR=5.2, 95% CI=1.7–16.2) and pleural neoplasm (SMR=104.1, 95% CI=14.0– 739.0). Based on logistic regression analysis controlling for age, lifters was about 5.1 more likely times than flame cutters to die from accidental falls. This study suggests that former shipbreaking workers are more likely to be at higher risk of injuries and the young flame cutters are at higher risk from neoplasms.

Mortality among shipbreaking workers in Taiwan—A retrospective cohort study from 1985 to 2008

“…Asbestos-containing material (ACM) can be found in thermal system insulation and on surfacing materials (wall panels/ bulkheads) in vessels. Although our results show only one mesothelioma death case that is the same as the one reported in our previous study [Liu et al, 2003], in the further linkage results, there were two mesothelioma cases and ten asbestosis cases in surviving shipbreaking workers. There is a possibility that these fibers will be inhaled by workers and operators at the facility or by people living nearby [Andersen and International Labour Organisation.…”

“…That study lacked the long-term follow-up on cancer mortality rate that this study provides [Liu et al, 2003]. Recently, the world's major shipbreaking countries have been Bangladesh, China, India, and Pakistan.…”

“…According to prior studies, certain competing causes of death (e.g., accidental deaths) may reduce the likelihood of cancer incidence, in particular lung cancer [Liu et al, 2003]. The excess mortality rate for accidental death among workers with <7 years of employment might have caused the real cancer incidences to be underestimated among shipbreaking workers.…”

“…The result may be due to inadequate follow-up period [Gustavsson et al, 2000;Liu et al, 2003]. Although shipbreaking workers are exposed to a wide range of deadly chemicals, we still lack long-term follow-up data on their cancer mortality rate.…”

“…According to our previous 13-year follow-up study, the evidence concerning the carcinogenic effect posed by shipbreaking work was not sufficient. The result may be due to inadequate follow-up period [Gustavsson et al, 2000;Liu et al, 2003]. In this current report, we extended our follow-up period to 24 years with a retrospective-cohort design to further evaluate the mortality risks among shipbreaking workers in Taiwan.…”