title: An apparently incongruous exposure-response relationship resulting from the use of job description to assess magnetic field exposure.
abstract: Empirical data are presented to support the observation that nondifferential misclassification of subjects classified according to an ordinal scale can result in an artifactual nonmonotonic exposure-response curve. This phenomenon can be interpreted erroneously as an indication that an observed relationship is not causal. The occupational exposure of 40 subjects to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields was estimated on the basis of their job description while their "true" exposure was determined by direct dosimetry. A "true" risk was assumed to exist, and estimates of risk that could be obtained through hypothetical case-referent or cohort studies were calculated.
authors.affiliation: Australian Radiation Laboratory, Yallambie.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Delpizzo
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012306:Risk