Insights on Occupational Exposure Assessment in Epidemiological Studies

An overview of approaches to occupational exposure assessment used in epidemiological studies—both population-based and industry-based—is provided in the first two sections, followed by insights on occupational exposure–response analysis in the third section. Determinants of exposure, availability of resources, and methods for establishing reliable assessment using different approaches are discussed, with examples from the literature. Particular attention is given to the use and role of job–exposure matrices (JEMs) in both industry-based and population-based settings. Next, differences between industry-based and population-based studies are examined, highlighting their respective strengths and limitations in relation to exposure assessment. Finally, the section on exposure–response analysis covers different types of exposure that can be incorporated, statistical definitions of exposures and their relationships with outcomes, compartmental models, and inputs for meta-dose–response analyses.