News from the Farm Worker Movement(www.ufw.org):

UFW HEALTH STUDY FINDINGS RELEASED

A study of cancer patterns in members of the UFW was released recently

in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine indicating that farm

workers experience a lower risk of some forms of cancer but an elevated

risk for other forms of cancer. The study's lead author, Dr. Paul Mills

an Epidemiologist of the California Cancer Registry, has worked with

Doug Blaylock, Administrator of the RFK Medical Plan for several years

in this study, which has involved about 146,000 past and present members

of the UFW.

By linking the membership roster of the Medical and Pension Benefit

Plans with the files of the California Cancer Registry, Dr. Mills found

that the risk of some major forms of cancer such as breast, lung and

prostate cancer was lower in the UFW membership than the general

California Hispanic population. However, the risk of several other forms

of cancer was elevated. For example, UFW workers had a 59% higher risk

for leukemia (cancer of the blood) than other Hispanics living in

California and a 69% higher risk for stomach cancer. Uterine cancers in

females were also elevated, as was brain cancer for both males and

females.

In addition, several types of cancer, including prostate cancer in men,

cervix cancer in women, and large bowel cancer in both sexes, were

diagnosed at a later stage among farmworkers than among the general

population. This makes it more difficult to effectively treat the

disease.

Dr. Mills pointed out that these findings among California farmworkers

are in general agreement with findings from other studies which have

concentrated on farm owners and operators. These findings also

emphasized the need for farmworkers to avail themselves of cancer

screening programs whenever possible.

This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of the

Public Health Institute that monitors all studies to insure protection

of study subjects from research risks.

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PUBLICACION DE ESTUDIO SOBRE LA SALUD EN UFW