Background: The authors conducted a retrospective cohort mortality study on police officers from 1950-2005.
Methods: Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR) analyses were conducted separately for white male (n=2761), black (n=286), and female (n=259) officers.
Results: Mortality from all causes of death combined for white male officers was significantly higher than expected (SMR=1.20; 95% confidence interval (CI) =1.14-1.26). Increased mortality was also seen for all malignant neoplasms combined (SMR=1.32; 1.19-1.46), all benign neoplasms combined (SMR=2.50; 1.08-4.93), and all diseases of the circulatory system combined (SMR=1.11; 1.02-1.19). The elevated mortality for all malignant neoplasms was primarily due to statistically significant excesses in cancers of the esophagus, colon, respiratory system, Hodgkin's disease and leukemia. Black officers had lower than expected mortality from all causes (SMR=0.45; 0.18-0.92) while female officers had elevated all-cause mortality (SMR=2.17; 1.12-3.79).
Conclusions: Findings of increased risk for malignant neoplasms should be replicated and studied in relation to measured risk factors.
Keywords: Mortality; cancer; epidemiology; law enforcement officers; occupational health.