[Mortality among female industrial workers.]

The aim of this study was to investigate mortality among female industrial workers with the hypothesis that mortality by smoking related causes was in excess among them.

The design was that of a retrospective cohort study. The cohort comprised 13 349 women who contributed to a pension fund for factory workers in Reykjavík during the period 1970-1995. The follow-up time was 1975-1995. The death rate of the cohort was compared to that of all Icelandic women during the period 1981-1995. The cohort was studied with regard to selected causes of death, and subsequently according to age at first entrance in the pension fund, different lag-time, employment time and by time at start of employment.

RESULTS showed an excess of external causes but a deficit of most other causes of death, including smoking related diseases. However, in some of the analyses there were indications of elevated lung cancer. Highest mortality was seen among those women who started to pay to the pension fund before thirty years of age.

The notable excess of external causes in the group needs further exploration wheras the results did not confirm the assumption that smoking related causes of death were elevated in the group. Methodological problems in studies of women's health are discussed.