The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #45808

David A. Lombardi, PhD¹, Gary S. Sorock, PhD¹, Mary F. Lesch, PhD², Russ B. Hauser, MD, ScD³, Ellen A. Eisen, ScD³, Robert Herrick, SD³, and Murray A. Mittleman, MD, DrPH⁴. (1) Epidemiology Unit, Liberty Mutual Research Center for Safety & Health, 71 Frankland Road, Hopkinton, MA 01748, (508) 435-9061 ext (210), david.lombardi@libertymutual.com, (2) Center for Safety Research, Liberty Mutual Research Center for Safety & Health, 71 Frankland Road, Hopkinton, MA 01748, (3) Occupational Health Program, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, (4) Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115

We conducted a reliability study of transient workplace exposures within a case-crossover study of acute traumatic occupational hand injuries. Up to four days after the initial interview, interviewers administered a follow-up questionnaire about workplace exposures (n=29). Reliability of the usual frequency of exposure in the past month (frequency times duration) and exposure reported at the time of the injury (yes or no) was assessed. The degree to which subjects were confident in the accuracy of their recall of exposure was also examined. Exposures included features of work equipment, work practices, and worker-related factors.

Test-retest reliability for the usual frequency of exposure during the past month was highest (intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) ranging from 0.80 - 0.99) for feeling ill, performing an unusual work task, using a different work method, wearing gloves, rushing, and using unusual equipment or materials. For the frequency of exposure, working overtime was the most reliable (ICC=0.99), whereas for duration of exposure, reliability was highest for using unusual equipment or materials and using a different work method (ICC>0.94). Being distracted was not very reliable either in terms of frequency (ICC=0.12) or duration of exposure (ICC=0.53). Agreement of reported exposure at the time of the injury, evaluated using the kappa statistic, ranged from substantial to perfect agreement (0.65-1.0). Most subjects (74%-100%) reported being "very confident" or "certain" in their memory for each exposure.

These findings suggest that the usual frequency of transient workplace exposures can be reliably recalled by subjects interviewed by telephone within four days of an injury.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the disscussion, the participant should be able to

1)Describe the short-term reliability of workers' recall of various occupational exposures 2)Describe the short-term memory of workers' recall of occupational exposures
• Apply similiar test-retest approaches for questionnaires in their own studies of occupational injuries

Keywords: Occupational Exposure, Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.