How to identify an aspecific association? Epidemiological considerations on the study of health of office workers
Bertazzi, P.A.
La Medicina del Lavoro 82(4): 291-298
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-7818 PMID: 1758339 Document Number: 386508
An epidemiological approach to the study of health conditions of office workers. Nowadays the work-relatedness of the majority of diseases occurring at the workplace is by no means obvious. The relationship to work environment and performance of work is one of several causative factors. However, the multifactorial origin of diseases is not at all a new concept since principles and methods for the study of the numerous factors playing a role in any association between exposure and disease are already available. The model of causal constellations developed by Rothman can be particularly useful for the investigation of "non-specific" associations, like those commonly occurring in office work. The study of the health conditions of office workers is faced with many difficulties, including the identification, measurement and classification of exposure variables and health outcomes. In designing these studies, particular attention should be devoted to aspects regarding sample size, length of observation and referent population.