Skip Navigation
Skip to contents

Epidemiol Health : Epidemiology and Health

OPEN ACCESS
SEARCH
Search

Author index

Page Path
HOME > Browse articles > Author index
Search
Wanhyung Lee 1 Article
Cancer incidence among male construction workers in Korea: a standardized incidence ratio analysis, 2009-2015
Soonsu Shin, Woo-Ri Lee, Jin-Ha Yoon, Wanhyung Lee
Epidemiol Health. 2023;45:e2023060.   Published online June 19, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2023060
  • 5,338 View
  • 169 Download
AbstractAbstract AbstractSummary PDFSupplementary Material
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Construction workers face an elevated risk for several types of cancer. Nevertheless, there is a lack of large-scale epidemiological studies examining the risk of all cancers in construction workers. This study aimed to investigate the risk of various cancers in male construction workers using the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database.
METHODS
We used data from the NHIS database from 2009 to 2015. Construction workers were identified using the Korean Standard Industrial Classification code. We calculated the age-standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for cancer occurrence in male construction workers compared to all male workers.
RESULTS
Compared to all male workers, the SIRs for esophageal cancer (SIR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.42) and malignant neoplasms of the liver and intrahepatic bile ducts (SIR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.13 to 1.24) were significantly higher in male construction workers. The SIRs for malignant neoplasms of the urinary tract (SIR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.35) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (SIR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.43) were significantly elevated in building construction workers. The SIR for malignant neoplasms of the trachea, bronchus, and lung (SIR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.29) was significantly higher in heavy and civil engineering workers.
CONCLUSIONS
Male construction workers have an increased risk for esophageal cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s cancer. Our results indicate that tailored strategies for cancer prevention should be developed for construction workers.
Summary
Korean summary
건설 노동자는 작업환경에서 수많은 유해 인자에 노출되지만, 건설 노동자에서 암의 연령 표준화 발생비를 조사한 역학 연구는 부족하다. 이번 연구에서 식도암과 간담도암의 연령 표준화 발생비는 전체 남성 근로자에 비해 남성 건설 근로자에게서 증가하였다. 이러한 결과는 건설 근로자에서 암 위험이 증가했음을 나타내며, 이 직업군에서 암 예방을 위한 추가 연구와 정책이 필요함을 의미한다.
Key Message
Despite the exposure of construction workers to numerous hazardous substances at workplace, epidemiological studies investigating the risk of all cancers in this occupational group are lacking. In this study, the age-standardized incidence ratio of esophageal cancer and hepatobiliary cancers increased in male construction workers compared to all male workers. Our results underscore the increased several cancer risks faced by male construction workers, necessitating the development of tailored strategies for cancer prevention in this occupational group.

Epidemiol Health : Epidemiology and Health
TOP