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Author: Dembe, Allard
Resulting in 2 citations.
1. Dembe, Allard
Yao, Xiaoxi
Wickizer, Thomas
Shoben, Abigail
Dong, Xiuwen Sue
A Standardized Process for Using 0*NET to Estimate the Association between Work Exposures and Chronic Disease Occurrence
Presented: Boston MA, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo, November 2013
Cohort(s): NLSY79
Publisher: American Public Health Association
Keyword(s): Health, Chronic Conditions; Health/Health Status/SF-12 Scale; Job Hazards; Occupational Information Network (O*NET); Occupations

Permission to reprint the abstract has not been received from the publisher.

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.

Bibliography Citation
Dembe, Allard, Xiaoxi Yao, Thomas Wickizer, Abigail Shoben and Xiuwen Sue Dong. "A Standardized Process for Using 0*NET to Estimate the Association between Work Exposures and Chronic Disease Occurrence." Presented: Boston MA, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo, November 2013.
2. Yao, Xiaoxi
Dembe, Allard
Shoben, Abigail
Association between Long Work Hours and Chronic Disease Risks over a 32 Year Period
Presented: New Orleans LA, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo, November 2014
Cohort(s): NLSY79
Publisher: American Public Health Association
Keyword(s): Gender Differences; Health, Chronic Conditions; Work Hours/Schedule

Permission to reprint the abstract has not been received from the publisher.

Methods:The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979 was used to create 32-year work histories (1978-2009) for 7,492 respondents. The average weekly work hours were calculated for each week in which the employee worked full time (i.e., at least 30 hours per week). Logistic regression analyses were performed to test the association between the average hours worked per week and the occurrence of each of the eight chronic diseases listed above, adjusting for age, gender, race, education, family income, number of years worked, smoking status, and occupation.

Results: Working long hours (e.g., 41-50, 51-60 and 60+ compared to 30-40 hours per week) was associated with a significantly elevated risk of chronic heart disease, non-skin cancer, arthritis, and diabetes. The observed effects were larger and more significant among women than among men.

Bibliography Citation
Yao, Xiaoxi, Allard Dembe and Abigail Shoben. "Association between Long Work Hours and Chronic Disease Risks over a 32 Year Period." Presented: New Orleans LA, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo, November 2014.