Association of physical job demands, smoking and alcohol abuse with subsequent premature mortality: a 9-year follow-up population-based study.

This study assessed the relationships of physical job demands (PJD), smoking, and alcohol abuse, with premature mortality before age 70 (PM-70) among the working or inactive population. The sample included 4,268 subjects aged 15 or more randomly selected in north-eastern France. They completed a mailed questionnaire (birth date, sex, weight, height, job, PJD, smoking habit, alcohol abuse (Deta questionnaire)) in 1996 and were followed for mortality until 2004 (9 yr).

Comparison of potential adjustment variables representing primary intellectual level in epidemiological studies on neurotoxicity.

Background: Primary intellectual abilities (PIA) are a confounder in epidemiological studies on neurotoxicity. A good measure of this confounder should be independent of age as PIA is an intrinsic ability. Furthermore, as PIA is related to health endpoints, any measure of PIA should reveal this association.

Cancer mortality among municipal pest-control workers.

Objectives: This epidemiological study was carried out in order to investigate the hypothesis of a relationship between cancer occurrence and occupational exposure in a population of municipal pest-control workers exposed to a wide range of pesticides and other chemicals.

Methods: The study was designed as a mortality historical cohort study. The cohort comprised all subjects ever employed in a municipal pest-control service between 1979 and 1994.

Evaluation of the French version of EUROQUEST: a questionnaire for neurotoxic symptoms.

Background: EUROQUEST was designed to explore various neuropsychiatric symptoms caused by neurotoxic agents in occupational epidemiological studies. This paper was aimed at assessing (i) the internal consistency of the French version of EUROQUEST, (ii) its sensitivity to age, educational level and exposure, (iii) and its convergent validity by examining relationships between declared symptoms and results from psychometric tests on the same mental functions.

Design: Data from four cross-sectional studies were selected: 180 workers exposed to toluene, mixed solvents or anaesthetic gas, and 588 non-exposed ones.

Neurobehavioral disturbances arising from occupational toluene exposure.

Background: Neurotoxicity of long-term exposure to toluene is known at higher levels than 50 ppm and is suspected at lower levels.

Methods: A cross-sectional study carried out in two printing plants on 129 blue collar workers explored such a low level exposure of toluene. With 231 samples of ambient air, toluene concentration was estimated from 0 to 18 ppm in Plant A (offset) and from 2 to 27 ppm in Plant B (heliogravure).