TY - JOUR
T1 - Developing a pooled job physical exposure data set from multiple independent studies
T2 - An example of a consortium study of carpal tunnel syndrome
AU - Bao, Stephen S.
AU - Kapellusch, Jay M.
AU - Garg, Arun
AU - Silverstein, Barbara A.
AU - Harris-Adamson, Carisa
AU - Burt, Susan E.
AU - Dale, Ann Marie
AU - Evanoff, Bradley A.
AU - Gerr, Frederic E.
AU - Hegmann, Kurt T.
AU - Merlino, Linda A.
AU - Thiese, Matthew S.
AU - Rempel, David M.
PY - 2015/2/1
Y1 - 2015/2/1
N2 - Background: Six research groups independently conducted prospective studies of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) incidence in 54 US workplaces in 10 US States. Physical exposure variables were collected by all research groups at the individual worker level. Data from these research groups were pooled to increase the exposure spectrum and statistical power. Objective: This paper provides a detailed description of the characteristics of the pooled physical exposure variables and the source data information from the individual research studies. Methods: Physical exposure data were inspected and prepared by each of the individual research studies according to detailed instructions provided by an exposure subcommittee of the research consortium. Descriptive analyses were performed on the pooled physical exposure data set. Correlation analyses were performed among exposure variables estimating similar exposure aspects. Results: At baseline, there were a total of 3010 participants in the pooled physical exposure data set. Overall, the pooled data meaningfully increased the spectra of most exposure variables. The increased spectra were due to the wider range in exposure data of different jobs provided by the research studies. The correlations between variables estimating similar exposure aspects showed different patterns among data provided by the research studies. Conclusions: The increased spectra of the physical exposure variables among the data pooled likely improved the possibility of detecting potential associations between these physical exposure variables and CTS incidence. It is also recognised that methods need to be developed for general use by all researchers for standardisation of physical exposure variable definition, data collection, processing and reduction.
AB - Background: Six research groups independently conducted prospective studies of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) incidence in 54 US workplaces in 10 US States. Physical exposure variables were collected by all research groups at the individual worker level. Data from these research groups were pooled to increase the exposure spectrum and statistical power. Objective: This paper provides a detailed description of the characteristics of the pooled physical exposure variables and the source data information from the individual research studies. Methods: Physical exposure data were inspected and prepared by each of the individual research studies according to detailed instructions provided by an exposure subcommittee of the research consortium. Descriptive analyses were performed on the pooled physical exposure data set. Correlation analyses were performed among exposure variables estimating similar exposure aspects. Results: At baseline, there were a total of 3010 participants in the pooled physical exposure data set. Overall, the pooled data meaningfully increased the spectra of most exposure variables. The increased spectra were due to the wider range in exposure data of different jobs provided by the research studies. The correlations between variables estimating similar exposure aspects showed different patterns among data provided by the research studies. Conclusions: The increased spectra of the physical exposure variables among the data pooled likely improved the possibility of detecting potential associations between these physical exposure variables and CTS incidence. It is also recognised that methods need to be developed for general use by all researchers for standardisation of physical exposure variable definition, data collection, processing and reduction.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84920735975&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/oemed-2014-102396
DO - 10.1136/oemed-2014-102396
M3 - Article
C2 - 25504866
AN - SCOPUS:84920735975
SN - 1351-0711
VL - 72
SP - 130
EP - 137
JO - Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JF - Occupational and Environmental Medicine
IS - 2
ER -