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Methodological considerations relevant to epidemiology studies of silica and lung cancer.

Checkoway H

Appl Occup Environ Hyg 1995 Dec; 10(12):1049-1055

https://doi.org/10.1080/1047322X.1995.10389094

00232480

Methodological factors affecting the interpretation of epidemiological studies examining the relationship between occupational exposure to silica (14808607) and lung cancer were reviewed. Data from three studies of Vermont granite workers, South African gold miners, and California diatomaceous earth mining and processing workers were used to illustrate methodological shortcomings in the quality of exposure assessment, control of confounders such as other workplace exposures and cigarette smoking, and the use of pulmonary fibrosis as a precursor to lung cancer. Sources of bias in epidemiologic research, particularly in studies of occupational exposures and lung cancer, were described and discussed. The author presented several recommendations to improve the quality of epidemiologic studies examining occupational silica exposure and lung cancer risk.

Pulmonary-system-disorders; Epidemiology; Analytical-methods; Silica-dusts; Lung-cancer; Risk-factors; Cigarette-smoking; Statistical-analysis; Mining-industry; Occupational-exposure;

Harvey Checkoway, Department of Environmental Health, University of Washington, Box 357234, Seattle, Washington 98195

AOEHE9

14808-60-7

19951201

Journal Article

381670

Grant

1996

Grant-Number-R01-OH-003126

12

1047-322X

Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene

CA; VT; WA

University of Washington, Seattle, Washington