The mortality experience of Dow Chemical Louisiana Division employees, 1956-1986.

A major objective of the epidemiology department of the Dow Chemical Company is to report at periodic intervals the cause-specific mortality experience of its employees. This study analyzed the cause-specific mortality experience of 4,229 male and female employees of the Louisiana Division who were employed for at least 1 year from 1956 through 1986. Regardless of the comparison population used to calculate expected numbers (United States, Louisiana, or the surrounding five parish area), fewer deaths were observed for all causes combined as well as for all malignant neoplasms, diseases of the circulatory system, and external causes of death.