TY - JOUR
T1 - Reliability of job-title based physical work exposures for the upper extremity
T2 - Comparison to self-reported and observed exposure estimates
AU - Gardner, Bethany T.
AU - Lombardi, David A.
AU - Dale, Ann Marie
AU - Franzblau, Alfred
AU - Evanoff, Bradley A.
PY - 2010/8
Y1 - 2010/8
N2 - Objectives: To evaluate the agreement between job-title based estimates for upper extremity physical work exposures and exposure estimates from work observation and worker self-report. Methods: Self-reported exposure questionnaires were completed by 972 workers, and exposure estimates based on worksite observation were completed for a subset of 396 workers. Job-title based estimates were obtained from O*NET, an American database of job demands. Agreement between self-reported, observed and job-title based physical work exposures was assessed using Spearman correlations and intraclass correlation coefficients. Results: Job-title based exposure estimates from O*NET, self-reported and observer-rated exposures showed moderate to good levels of agreement for some upper extremity exposures, including lifting, forceful grip, use of vibrating tools and wrist bending. Conclusions: Job-title based physical work exposure variables may provide useful surrogate measures of upper extremity exposure data in the absence of other individual level data such as observed or self-reported exposure. Further validation of these data is necessary to determine the utility of the O*NET databases in future epidemiological studies.
AB - Objectives: To evaluate the agreement between job-title based estimates for upper extremity physical work exposures and exposure estimates from work observation and worker self-report. Methods: Self-reported exposure questionnaires were completed by 972 workers, and exposure estimates based on worksite observation were completed for a subset of 396 workers. Job-title based estimates were obtained from O*NET, an American database of job demands. Agreement between self-reported, observed and job-title based physical work exposures was assessed using Spearman correlations and intraclass correlation coefficients. Results: Job-title based exposure estimates from O*NET, self-reported and observer-rated exposures showed moderate to good levels of agreement for some upper extremity exposures, including lifting, forceful grip, use of vibrating tools and wrist bending. Conclusions: Job-title based physical work exposure variables may provide useful surrogate measures of upper extremity exposure data in the absence of other individual level data such as observed or self-reported exposure. Further validation of these data is necessary to determine the utility of the O*NET databases in future epidemiological studies.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77955650702&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/oem.2008.044339
DO - 10.1136/oem.2008.044339
M3 - Article
C2 - 20410076
AN - SCOPUS:77955650702
SN - 1351-0711
VL - 67
SP - 538
EP - 547
JO - Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JF - Occupational and Environmental Medicine
IS - 8
ER -