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. 1994 Dec;309(6970):1681-4.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.309.6970.1681.

Handedness and longevity: archival study of cricketers

J P Aggleton  1 , J M Bland, R W Kentridge, N J Neave
Affiliations

Handedness and longevity: archival study of cricketers

J P Aggleton et al. BMJ. 1994 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: To test whether handedness is associated with a change in longevity.

Design: Archival survey.

Setting: British Isles.

Subjects: All first class cricketers born before 1961 whose bowling hand was specified (right, n = 5041; left, n = 1132) in a comprehensive encyclopaedia.

Main outcome measures: Bowling hand and life span.

Results: Regression analysis of the 5960 players born between 1840 and 1960 (3387 dead, 2573 alive) showed no significant relation between mortality and handedness (P = 0.3). Left handedness was, however, associated with an increased likelihood of death from unnatural causes (P = 0.03, log hazard 0.37, 95% confidence interval 0.04 to 0.70). This effect was especially related to deaths during warfare (P = 0.009, log hazard 0.53, 0.13 to 0.92).

Conclusion: Left handedness is not, in general, associated with an increase in mortality.

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Comment in

  • Handedness among surgeons.
    Schott J, Puttick M. Schott J, et al. BMJ. 1995 Mar 18;310(6981):739. doi: 10.1136/bmj.310.6981.739b. BMJ. 1995. PMID: 7772156 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

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