title: [How to identify an aspecific association? Epidemiological considerations on the study of health of office workers].
abstract: An epidemiological approach to the study of health conditions of office workers. Nowadays the work-relatedness of the majority of diseases occurring at the workplace is by no means obvious. The relationship to work environment and performance of work is one of several causative factors. However, the multifactorial origin of diseases is not at all a new concept since principles and methods for the study of the numerous factors playing a role in any association between exposure and disease are already available. The model of causal constellations developed by Rothman can be particularly useful for the investigation of "non-specific" associations, like those commonly occurring in office work. The study of the health conditions of office workers is faced with many difficulties, including the identification, measurement and classification of exposure variables and health outcomes. In designing these studies, particular attention should be devoted to aspects regarding sample size, length of observation and referent population.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Medicina del Lavoro, Università di Milano.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Bertazzi
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009790:Occupations
vernacular_title: Come mettere in luce una associazione aspecifica? Considerazioni epidemiologiche sullo studio della salute negli uffici.