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Study on occupational allergy risks (SOLAR II) in Germany: design and methods
Sabine Heinrich1, Astrid Peters, Jessica Kellberger
1Unit for Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology & Net Teaching, Institute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital of Munich, Munich, Germany. sabine.heinrich@med.lmu.de
BMC Public Health
|May 17, 2011
Summary
This 12-year study followed young adults to track atopic diseases, finding that while feasible, studying this mobile population requires significant time and resources for successful follow-up and data collection.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Environmental Health
- Allergy and Immunology
Background:
- SOLAR II is the second follow-up of a population-based cohort study initiated with ISAAC Phase Two participants in Munich and Dresden.
- The study builds upon SOLAR I (2002-2003) to examine the progression of atopic diseases through puberty.
- It incorporates environmental and occupational risk factors into the analysis of disease trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term course of atopic diseases from childhood into adulthood.
- To assess the influence of environmental and occupational exposures on the development and progression of allergic conditions.
- To describe the methodologies and challenges encountered during the second follow-up of a young adult cohort.
Main Methods:
- Utilized consistent questionnaire instruments for respiratory and allergic diseases, domestic/occupational exposures, and work-related stress across study phases.
- Conducted clinical examinations including skin prick tests, spirometry, methacholine challenge, exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measurement, and blood sampling.
- Employed multiple imputation techniques to manage missing data, leveraging information from three study periods.
Main Results:
- Successfully contacted 2904 of 3053 SOLAR I participants after extensive tracing efforts due to high mobility.
- Achieved a 71% questionnaire response rate (2051 subjects) and 57% participation in clinical examinations among contacted individuals.
- Identified significant selection bias, with participants more likely to have higher parental education and a history of parental atopy compared to non-participants.
Conclusions:
- A 12-year follow-up from childhood to adulthood is achievable, yielding a 32% response rate of the initial baseline population.
- Studying young adults presents unique challenges, including high mobility, time constraints, and fluctuating participant interest.
- Researchers must allocate substantial time and resources for fieldwork when engaging with young adult populations in longitudinal studies.
