Table 2.
Characteristics of participants by cancer type in study of exposure work strain and risk of cancer. Figures are numbers (percentage) of participants unless stated otherwise
| Characteristics | Cancer free | Incident cancer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any cancer | Colorectal cancer | Lung cancer | Breast cancer | Prostate cancer | ||
| Participants* | 110 291 | 5 765 | 522 | 374 | 1010 | 865 |
| Job strain | 17 763 (16.1) | 843 (14.6) | 78 (14.9) | 64 (17.1) | 181 (17.9) | 79 (9.1) |
| Female | 59 695 (54.1) | 2 588 (44.9) | 188 (36.0) | 109 (29.1) | 1 010 (100.0) | 0 (0) |
| Mean (SD; range) age at baseline (years) | 38.5 (10.3; 17-70) | 48.9 (8.2; 19-67) | 49.9 (7.8; 26-64) | 51.6 (6.8; 29-65) | 49.1 (6.0; 21-68) | 53.2 (5.5; 28-67) |
| Low socioeconomic position at baseline | 34 644 (31.4) | 1778 (30.8) | 151 823 | 182 (48.7) | 297 (29.49 | 194 (22.49 |
| Mean (SD) BMI at baseline | 24.8 (3.9) | 25.0 (3.8) | 24.9 (28.9) | 24.3 (3.8) | 24.1 83.5) | 26.7 (3.9) |
| Normal weight in POLS† | 5294 (61.7) | 140 (51.7) | 21 (47.7) | 11(50.0) | — | 17 (58.6) |
| Smokers at baseline | 26 486 (24.0) | 1562 (27.1) | 122 (23.4) | 251 (67.1) | 224 (22.2) | 159 (18.4) |
| Drinkers at baselineठ| 11 089 (10.1) | 655 (11.4) | 71 (13.6) | 56 (15.0) | 73 (7.2) | 120 (13.9) |
*Participants with complete data on job strain, age, sex, socioeconomic position, BMI (not available in Still Working and COPSOQ-I), smoking, alcohol intake, and incident cancer events.
†BMI recorded as categorical in POLS.39
‡Drinkers here defined as participants who consume more than recommended amounts of alcohol: ≥15 units/week for women; ≥22 units/week for men.
§Approximated for participants in Still Working as we were unable to ascertain number of drinks per time period because of way alcohol intake was determined in baseline questionnaire.