A standardized process for using 0*NET to estimate the association between work exposures and chronic disease occurrence

Background and Objectives: This study aims to develop a general process using data from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) to estimate the association between long-term occupational exposure and the risk of contracting chronic diseases later in life. To demonstrate the usefulness of this standardized process, we analyze the relationship between O*NET exposure ratings of physical work demands and the onset of arthritis over a 32-year period. Methods: Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979 (NLSY79) provided information about the work histories of 7,565 individuals and their health conditions. Five O*NET job descriptors (e.g., “handing and moving objects” and “bending or twisting the body”) were used as surrogate measures of physical work demands. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to measure the association between those demands and arthritis occurrence. Results: The risk of contracting arthritis was found to be significantly associated with handling and moving objects (OR: 1.45), kneeling, crouching, and crawling (OR: 1.36), bending and twisting (OR: 1.49) and performing general physical activities (OR 1.47). The relationship between exposure to working in a cramped or awkward posture and arthritis was not statistically significant. Conclusions: This study developed and tested a general methodology for using O*NET job ratings to analyze the strength of association between occupational exposure and chronic disease. This method can be applied broadly to many job hazards and a variety of common chronic conditions. The study also showed that O*NET can successfully serve as a surrogate measure for occupational exposure when no actual exposure data is available.