BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to independently test the hypothesis that leukaemia incidence is higher in proximity to estuaries. METHODS: Electoral wards were classified as to whether they included estuarine, coastal or only inland features. Rates of different adult and childhood leukaemias were computed for each ward category; that is, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) aged 0-79 and for all childhood leukaemias combined (aged 0-14). RESULTS: Poisson regression analysis controlling for the effects of sex, age, and socioeconomic and urban-rural status, showed no statistically significant differences in incidence between wards with different levels of estuarine classification. CONCLUSION: The hypothesis created from an earlier dataset that a link exists between leukaemia and residence near estuaries is not upheld.
BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to independently test the hypothesis that leukaemia incidence is higher in proximity to estuaries. METHODS: Electoral wards were classified as to whether they included estuarine, coastal or only inland features. Rates of different adult and childhood leukaemias were computed for each ward category; that is, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) aged 0-79 and for all childhood leukaemias combined (aged 0-14). RESULTS: Poisson regression analysis controlling for the effects of sex, age, and socioeconomic and urban-rural status, showed no statistically significant differences in incidence between wards with different levels of estuarine classification. CONCLUSION: The hypothesis created from an earlier dataset that a link exists between leukaemia and residence near estuaries is not upheld.