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Using a representative sample of workers for constructing the SUMEX French general population based job-exposure
A Guéguen1, M Goldberg, S Bonenfant
1INSERM Unité 88-IFR 69, Hôpital National de Saint-Maurice, 14, rue du Val d'Osne, 94415 Saint-Maurice Cedex, France.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine
|June 23, 2004
Summary
A new job-exposure matrix (JEM) for chemical agents was created using French worker data. This tool aids occupational physicians in workforce health surveillance.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Industrial Hygiene
- Toxicology
Background:
- Traditional job-exposure matrices (JEMs) rely heavily on specialist expertise.
- A need exists for population-based JEMs for broader application in health surveillance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a population-based JEM for chemical agents using French worker data.
- To support health surveillance activities for the French workforce.
Main Methods:
- The SUMEX job-exposure matrix was built using data from the SUMER-94 survey.
- Cross-sectional survey data from 48,156 French workers, questioned by 1,205 occupational physicians, inventoried exposure to 102 chemicals.
- A segmentation method grouped occupations by chemical exposure prevalence, followed by index establishment using individual data.
Main Results:
- An agent-specific matrix was successfully constructed for 80 chemicals.
- Matrix performance varied, generally better for less specific agents and those tied to particular occupations.
- The method demonstrated utility for classifying chemical exposures across diverse job roles.
Conclusions:
- Software was developed to facilitate the use of the SUMEX JEM by occupational health professionals.
- The SUMEX matrix provides a valuable tool for French workforce health surveillance.
- This approach enhances the systematic assessment of chemical exposures in occupational settings.