OBJECTIVE: To study whether the methods used to select participants in research on prevalence rates of the health effects of exposure to a disaster may cause bias. This study compared background characteristics, disaster exposure, and complaints reported by (1) police officers who participated in an epidemiological study and underwent a medical examination, and (2) police officers who only participated in an epidemiological study. DESIGN AND SETTING: In 2000, an epidemiological study was started to investigate the health status among police officers who were involved in assistance work related to the air disaster in Amsterdam: the epidemiological study air disaster Amsterdam (ESADA). These police officers were personally invited to participate in the epidemiological study and were additionally offered a medical examination, providing them with the opportunity to have their health checked by a medical doctor. PARTICIPANTS: Of the total group of involved police officers who were invited, 834 (70%) participated in the ESADA: 224 (26.9%) only participated in the study, but 610 (73.1%) also underwent the medical examination. MAIN RESULTS: Police officers who underwent a medical examination significantly more often reported one or more musculoskeletal complaints, skin complaints, general or non-specific complaints, had more often experienced an event with potentially traumatic impact, or had performed one or more potentially traumatic tasks. CONCLUSIONS: The methods of selection of participants are important in research on health effects after disasters and can result in an overestimation of some of the effects, on average, by a factor of 1.5 to 2.
OBJECTIVE: To study whether the methods used to select participants in research on prevalence rates of the health effects of exposure to a disaster may cause bias. This study compared background characteristics, disaster exposure, and complaints reported by (1) police officers who participated in an epidemiological study and underwent a medical examination, and (2) police officers who only participated in an epidemiological study. DESIGN AND SETTING: In 2000, an epidemiological study was started to investigate the health status among police officers who were involved in assistance work related to the air disaster in Amsterdam: the epidemiological study air disaster Amsterdam (ESADA). These police officers were personally invited to participate in the epidemiological study and were additionally offered a medical examination, providing them with the opportunity to have their health checked by a medical doctor. PARTICIPANTS: Of the total group of involved police officers who were invited, 834 (70%) participated in the ESADA: 224 (26.9%) only participated in the study, but 610 (73.1%) also underwent the medical examination. MAIN RESULTS: Police officers who underwent a medical examination significantly more often reported one or more musculoskeletal complaints, skin complaints, general or non-specific complaints, had more often experienced an event with potentially traumatic impact, or had performed one or more potentially traumatic tasks. CONCLUSIONS: The methods of selection of participants are important in research on health effects after disasters and can result in an overestimation of some of the effects, on average, by a factor of 1.5 to 2.
Authors: Tara W Strine; Catherine A Okoro; Daniel P Chapman; Lina S Balluz; Earl S Ford; Umed A Ajani; Ali H Mokdad Journal: Am J Prev Med Date: 2005-02 Impact factor: 5.043
Authors: J E Hovens; H M van der Ploeg; I Bramsen; M T Klaarenbeek; J N Schreuder; V V Rivero Journal: Acta Psychiatr Scand Date: 1994-09 Impact factor: 6.392
Authors: Pauline Slottje; Anja C Huizink; Jos W R Twisk; Anke B Witteveen; Henk M van der Ploeg; Inge Bramsen; Nynke Smidt; Joost A Bijlsma; Lex M Bouter; Willem van Mechelen; Tjabe Smid Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2005-05-30 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Erik R Svendsen; Jennifer R Runkle; Venkata Ramana Dhara; Shao Lin; Marina Naboka; Timothy A Mousseau; Charles Bennett Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2012-08-16 Impact factor: 3.390