Cause-specific mortality among newspaper web pressmen.

A mortality study of 1,361 newspaper web pressmen who were members of the Los Angeles Pressmen's Union for at least one year -- between 1949 and 1965 -- was conducted. Vital status as of December 31, 1978, was determined for 1,261 (91%), and death certificates were obtained for 344 of the 354 decedents. Using a modified life-table technique, cause-specific mortality among the pressmen was compared to that in the United States white male population. Overall mortality was similar to that expected. Analysis of the cancer mortality by site showed no significant differences between observed and expected except for leukemia (7 observed vs. 2.8 expected) and kidney cancer (5 observed vs. 1.6 expected). A significant excess of deaths due to cirrhosis of the liver (17 observed vs. 8.3 expected) was also observed.