Journal article
Inter-Rater Reliability of Assessed Prenatal Maternal Occupational Exposures to Solvents, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, and Heavy Metals
Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene, Vol.8(12), pp.718-728
12/01/2011
DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2011.627293
PMID: 22074298
Abstract
Because direct measurements of past occupational exposures are rarely available in population-based case-control studies, exposure assessment of job histories by multiple expert raters is frequently used; however, the subjective nature of this method makes measuring reliability an important quality control step. We evaluated inter-rater reliability of 7729 retrospective jobs reported in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Jobs were classified as exposed, unexposed, or exposure unknown by two independent industrial hygienists; exposed jobs were further evaluated for intensity, frequency, and routes. Exposure prevalence ranged from 0.1-9.8%. Inter-rater reliability for exposure (yes/no), assessed by kappa coefficients, was fair to good for cadmium (κ = 0.46), chlorinated solvents (κ = 0.59), cobalt (κ = 0.54), glycol ethers (κ = 0.50), nickel compounds (κ = 0.65), oil mists (κ = 0.63), and Stoddard Solvent (κ = 0.55); PAHs (κ = 0.24) and elemental nickel (κ = 0.37) had poor agreement. After a consensus conference resolved disagreements, an additional 4962 jobs were evaluated. Inter-rater reliability improved or stayed the same for cadmium (κ = 0.51), chlorinated solvents (κ = 0.81), oil mists (κ = 0.63), PAHs (κ = 0.52), and Stoddard solvent (κ = 0.92) in the second job set. Inter-rater reliability varied by exposure agent and prevalence, demonstrating the importance of measuring reliability in studies using a multiple expert rater method of exposure assessment.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Inter-Rater Reliability of Assessed Prenatal Maternal Occupational Exposures to Solvents, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, and Heavy Metals
- Creators
- Carissa M Rocheleau - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and HealthChristina C Lawson - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and HealthMartha A Waters - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and HealthMisty J Hein - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and HealthPatricia A Stewart - Stewart Exposure Assessments, LLCAdolfo Correa - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental DisabilitiesDiana Echeverria - Battelle Centers for Public Health and Evaluation, Department of Environmental Health, University of WashingtonJennita Reefhuis - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental DisabilitiesNational Birth Defects Prevention Study
- Contributors
- Paul A Romitti (Contributor) - University of Iowa, Epidemiology
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene, Vol.8(12), pp.718-728
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis Group
- DOI
- 10.1080/15459624.2011.627293
- PMID
- 22074298
- ISSN
- 1545-9624
- eISSN
- 1545-9632
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/01/2011
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology; Biostatistics
- Record Identifier
- 9984214682602771
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