[Mortality of geologists in relation to occupational activities]

The study covered mortality among a cohort of geologists working in North-Western Russia. The cohort included 3911 geologists, geophysicists and drillers, whose life was followed during 1977-1992. The standardized relative mortality risk with all death causes equalled 0.58 in general. Risk of mortality with hypertension in the male geologists was 21.7 times higher and for the female ones-25.4 times higher than for general population. Definite dependence between the stronger effects and the longer length of service was seen. The highest standardized relative mortality risk appeared among the drillers. Occupational risk factors for geologists reliably increase risk of mortality with active rheumatism, diseases involving arteries, veins and lymphatic vessels. The male geophysicists tend to have higher incidence of prostatic cancer, and female ones-higher incidence of uterine carcinoma.