title: Evaluating uncertainty to strengthen epidemiologic data for use in human health risk assessments.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a recognized need to improve the application of epidemiologic data in human health risk assessment especially for understanding and characterizing risks from environmental and occupational exposures. Although there is uncertainty associated with the results of most epidemiologic studies, techniques exist to characterize uncertainty that can be applied to improve weight-of-evidence evaluations and risk characterization efforts.
  
  
  METHODS
  This report derives from a Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI) workshop held in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, to discuss the utility of using epidemiologic data in risk assessments, including the use of advanced analytic methods to address sources of uncertainty. Epidemiologists, toxicologists, and risk assessors from academia, government, and industry convened to discuss uncertainty, exposure assessment, and application of analytic methods to address these challenges.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Several recommendations emerged to help improve the utility of epidemiologic data in risk assessment. For example, improved characterization of uncertainty is needed to allow risk assessors to quantitatively assess potential sources of bias. Data are needed to facilitate this quantitative analysis, and interdisciplinary approaches will help ensure that sufficient information is collected for a thorough uncertainty evaluation. Advanced analytic methods and tools such as directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) and Bayesian statistical techniques can provide important insights and support interpretation of epidemiologic data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The discussions and recommendations from this workshop demonstrate that there are practical steps that the scientific community can adopt to strengthen epidemiologic data for decision making.
authors: The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan, USA.
authors: Carol J
authors: CJ
authors: Burns
authors: J Michael
authors: JM
authors: Wright
authors: Jennifer B
authors: JB
authors: Pierson
authors: Thomas F
authors: TF
authors: Bateson
authors: Igor
authors: I
authors: Burstyn
authors: Daniel A
authors: DA
authors: Goldstein
authors: James E
authors: JE
authors: Klaunig
authors: Thomas J
authors: TJ
authors: Luben
authors: Gary
authors: G
authors: Mihlan
authors: Leonard
authors: L
authors: Ritter
authors: A Robert
authors: AR
authors: Schnatter
authors: J Morel
authors: JM
authors: Symons
authors: Kun Don
authors: KD
authors: Yi
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D035501:Uncertainty