Re: Proportionate mortality study of golf course superintendents

✍ Scribed by Burton C. Kross; Linda K. Ogilvie; Leon Burmeister

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 14 KB
• Volume: 32
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0271-3586
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0274(199707)32:1<99::aid-ajim14>3.0.co;2-1

✦ Synopsis

It is a pleasure to respond to the queries by Dr. Burns [1997] relating to issues in our report on mortality among golf course superintendents [Kross et al., 1996].

The average age at death for golf course superintendents included in the mortality study is 68.5 years, with a median age of 69. The age range used to calculate expected number of deaths was done in ten-year increments, beginning with ages 25-34 and concluding with greater than age 95. The superintendents' age distribution at time of death is as follows:

The ''Other'' category included 78 deaths, with a breakdown as shown in Table I.

The authors appreciate the comments of Dr. van der Gulden [1997] suggesting an alternative explanation of excess deaths in this population due to arteriosclerotic heart disease and respiratory disease. However, the general work requirements for golf course workers is moderately demanding, which would argue against the unhealthy worker explanation suggested by this letter. Reference to a possible association between prostate cancer and pesticide use and/or diesel exhaust is recognized by the authors.