1. United States
2. Md.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to advocate for funding through the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to conduct updated research on the alarming rate of autoimmune disease mortality among teachers. A study published in the Journal of Rheumatology analyzed US death certificates from 1985 to 1995 and found that elementary and secondary school teachers experienced a proportional mortality ratio of 113 for autoimmune diseases compared to other professional occupations. This means teachers died from autoimmune diseases at a rate 13% higher than their professional peers. The excess mortality was statistically significant across all demographic groups studied, with male teachers showing a PMR of 124, female teachers 111, and secondary teachers reaching 130. The data reveals particularly concerning trends among younger educators. Teachers aged 35 to 44 showed a PMR of 149, nearly 50% higher than expected, with the excess mortality decreasing with age. This inverse relationship suggests that teachers experience occupational exposures relatively early in their careers that increase their risk of developing fatal autoimmune diseases. Rheumatic diseases accounted for 53.1% of the excess mortality, while multiple sclerosis accounted for 39.9%. This research is now nearly three decades old. Given the significant changes in classroom environments, teaching demands, and occupational exposures since the mid-1990s, updated research is critically needed to identify the specific risk factors driving this elevated mortality. Without current data, we cannot develop targeted interventions to protect the health of the educators who serve our communities. I urge you to support appropriations for NIH and NIOSH to conduct a comprehensive study examining autoimmune disease incidence and mortality among current teachers. This research should investigate potential occupational exposures, workplace conditions, and other factors contributing to this public health concern affecting hundreds of thousands of educators nationwide.