Exposure assessment in epidemiologic studies of birth defects by industrial hygiene review of maternal interviews

摘要: In epidemiologic studies of birth defects, occupational titles have frequently been used as surrogates for exposure. To avoid the error associated with such proxy exposure measures, we designed a process in which an industrial hygienist systematically imputes exposures derived from maternal interviews. response to structured questionnaire, mothers cases and controls recalled nonoccupational tasks performed or products around time conception. Maternal were then assigned several priori defined categories by hygienist. The central category consists 74 chemical families, e.g., alcohols, lead compounds. Other are individual compounds; nonchemical agents, ionizing radiation, infectious diseases; product end-use categories, insecticides, combustion products. A detailed description this approach its assessment potential is presented using data 220