A retrospective cohort study of mortality among New York State Farm Bureau members

A retrospective cohort study was conducted to examine mortality among 18,811 male farm owners and operators in New York State from 1973-1984. Farm Bureau membership lists were used to identify the study population, and vital status was determined through record linkage with death certificate and motor vehicle files. The comparison group consisted of the 1980 United States Census population of men who resided in the same towns as did the farmers. The results indicated that the study cohort experienced fewer than the expected numbers of deaths overall and for each major cause category except accidents. Specific causes with significant mortality deficits included cancer of the lung (standardized mortality ratio [SMR] = 47.0); diabetes mellitus (SMR = 57.5); ischemic heart disease (SMR = 65.3); bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma (SMR = 26.7); and cirrhosis of the liver (SMR = 29.7). The only specific cause with a significantly elevated mortality was accidents other than motor vehicle (SMR = 146.5). The investigation differs from previous research in method, setting, and population, but the pattern of findings is generally consistent with that of other studies.