Estimating intervention effects in a complex multi-level smoking prevention study.

This paper illustrates how to estimate cumulative and non-cumulative treatment effects in a complex school-based smoking intervention study. The Instrumental Variable method is used to tackle non-compliance and measurement error for a range of treatment exposure measures (binary, ordinal and continuous) in the presence of clustering and dropout. The results are compared to more routine analyses.

Predicting the onset of knee pain: results from a 2-year prospective study of new workers.

Objective: To determine the relative contribution of work-related mechanical (injury) factors and psychosocial factors to the onset of a new episode of knee pain, in a cohort of newly employed workers.

Methods: A prospective cohort study of newly employed workers from 12 diverse occupational settings in England (The New Workers Study). 859 newly employed workers, free of knee pain, were identified.

Mechanical injury and psychosocial factors in the work place predict the onset of widespread body pain: a two-year prospective study among cohorts of newly employed workers.

Objective: Mechanical injury has been postulated as a risk factor for widespread pain, although to date, the evidence is weak. The aim of this study was to determine whether repeated exposure to mechanical trauma in the work place predicts the onset of widespread pain and to determine the relative contribution of mechanical trauma compared with psychosocial factors.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study of 1,081 newly employed subjects in 12 diverse occupational settings, we collected detailed information on mechanical exposure, posture, physical environment, and psychosocial risk factors in the work place.

Predicting the onset of forearm pain: a prospective study across 12 occupational groups.

Objective: To determine, among workers free of forearm pain, the role of mechanical and psychosocial factors in predicting future onset.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted among 782 newly employed workers from 12 occupational groups. At baseline, a cohort of 782 workers free of forearm pain was identified and measurement was made about physical and psychosocial aspects of their job and working environment.

Predictors of hip joint replacement in new attenders in primary care with hip pain.

Background: Studies investigating the factors associated with need for total hip replacement should ideally be based on prospective investigation of new attenders in primary care.

Aim: To determine the incidence of listing for total hip replacement, and its predictors, among attenders in primary care with a new episode of hip pain.

Design Of Study: Prospective multicentre cohort study.