[Modeling of dose-response relations in exposure-related changes of the locomotor system]

Methodical aspects of designing and evaluation of epidemiological studies in occupational health research concerning chronical damages were discussed and illustrated by a study, which shows an essential dependence of arthrotical changes in the knee-joint from age and the intensity of kneeling stress. It is important for both design and evaluation, to regard relevantly the period of exposure. Dose-response relations can be simple proved and well described by regression analysis. Methods like score regression and cumulative logistic regression are very suitable for medical findings with rank categorial levels.