PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The majority of epidemiological research into occupational lung disease has been advanced by the study of individuals, typically in a workplace setting. This review examines how recent advances in ecological and spatial study methodology and in the information held in routine databases could be used to enhance occupational health studies. RECENT FINDINGS: Ecological studies often use routinely collected data, and this is becoming much more extensive and better validated with potential for increasing use in occupational health research. Improvements in computing power and statistical and geographical information systems methodology have led to more sophisticated mapping techniques and greater use of spatial information when investigating lung diseases usually related to occupational exposures. Ecological study methodology is experiencing a radical overhaul with supplementation of group-level data with information from small-scale individual-level studies. This hybrid design can be used to reduce bias and increase power and is directly applicable to the enhancement of aggregate information from job exposure matrices. SUMMARY: Studies of occupational lung disease can be enhanced by incorporating methodological innovations from ecological and spatial studies.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The majority of epidemiological research into occupational lung disease has been advanced by the study of individuals, typically in a workplace setting. This review examines how recent advances in ecological and spatial study methodology and in the information held in routine databases could be used to enhance occupational health studies. RECENT FINDINGS: Ecological studies often use routinely collected data, and this is becoming much more extensive and better validated with potential for increasing use in occupational health research. Improvements in computing power and statistical and geographical information systems methodology have led to more sophisticated mapping techniques and greater use of spatial information when investigating lung diseases usually related to occupational exposures. Ecological study methodology is experiencing a radical overhaul with supplementation of group-level data with information from small-scale individual-level studies. This hybrid design can be used to reduce bias and increase power and is directly applicable to the enhancement of aggregate information from job exposure matrices. SUMMARY: Studies of occupational lung disease can be enhanced by incorporating methodological innovations from ecological and spatial studies.
Authors: Dirk Taeger; Ulrike Krahn; Thorsten Wiethege; Katja Ickstadt; Georg Johnen; Andreas Eisenmenger; Horst Wesch; Beate Pesch; Thomas Bruning Journal: J Toxicol Environ Health A Date: 2008
Authors: A Laakkonen; P K Verkasalo; A Nevalainen; T Kauppinen; P Kyyrönen; E I Pukkala Journal: Occup Environ Med Date: 2007-11-21 Impact factor: 4.402
Authors: M Delaunay; H Van der Westhuizen; V Godard; R Agius; M Le Barbier; L Godderis; V Bonneterre Journal: Occup Med (Lond) Date: 2015-11 Impact factor: 1.611