Using a representative sample of workers for constructing the SUMEX French general population based job-exposure matrix.
BACKGROUND
Job-exposure matrices (JEMs) applicable to the general population are usually constructed by using only the expertise of specialists.


OBJECTIVE
To construct a population based JEM for chemical agents from data based on a sample of French workers for surveillance purposes.


METHODS
The SUMEX job-exposure matrix was constructed from data collected via a cross-sectional survey of a sample of French workers representative of the main economic sectors through the SUMER-94 survey: 1205 occupational physicians questioned 48 156 workers, and inventoried exposure to 102 chemicals. The companies' economic activities and the workers' occupations were coded according to the official French nomenclatures. A segmentation method was used to construct job groups that were homogeneous for exposure prevalence to chemical agents. The matrix was constructed in two stages: consolidation of occupations according to exposure prevalence; and establishment of exposure indices based on individual data from all the subjects in the sample.


RESULTS
An agent specific matrix could be constructed for 80 of the chemicals. The quality of the classification obtained for each was variable: globally, the performance of the method was better for less specific and therefore more easy to assess agents, and for exposures specific to certain occupations.


CONCLUSIONS
Software has been developed to enable the SUMEX matrix to be used by occupational physicians and other prevention professionals responsible for surveillance of the health of the workforce in France.
Guéguen
A
A
INSERM Unité 88-IFR 69, Hôpital National de Saint-Maurice, 14, rue du Val d'Osne, 94415 Saint-Maurice Cedex, France.
Goldberg
M
M
Bonenfant
S
S
Martin
J C
JC
D000465:Algorithms; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D009790:Occupations; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012984:Software; D013431:Sulfates / Q000633:toxicity*; D013997:Time Factors
D015386:Hazardous Substances; D013431:Sulfates