| Document ID (ISN) | 52736 |
| CIS number |
89-1929 |
| ISSN - Serial title |
0025-7818 - Medicina del lavoro |
| Year |
1987 |
| Convention or series no. |
|
| Author(s) |
Figā-Talamanca I. |
| Title |
Interaction and synergism in epidemiological investigations: The case of smoking and occupational exposure in respiratory disease |
| Original title |
Interazione e sinergismo in studi epidemiologici. Il caso del fumo di tabacco e le esposizioni professionali nella patologia respiratoria [in Italian] |
| Bibliographic information |
Mar.-Apr. 1987, Vol.78, No.2, p.93-104. 31 ref. |
| Abstract |
The paper briefly reviews the concepts of interaction and synergism as found in the epidemiological literature, explaining their meaning from the statistical point of view with the use of numerical examples. The various types of interaction are defined (interaction as a departure from the additive or the multiplicative model; effect modification; interaction in multiple regression). These concepts are illustrated with practical examples from studies on the relationship between smoking and occupational exposure in lung cancer and in other lung diseases among occupationally exposed groups. The author concludes: 1) that the type of interaction between risk variables depends only on the statistical model chosen to interpret the findings. This model does not necessarily coincide with a particular biologic model; 2) that the only work-related risks which seem to be associated with smoking in a way consistent with the multiplicative model are asbestos and perhaps arsenic. Most other risks studied to date in these terms yield results which seem consistent with the additive model. |
| Descriptors (primary) |
smoking; synergism; epidemiologic study; toxicology |
| Descriptors (secondary) |
statistical aspects; literature survey |
| Document type |
D - Periodical articles |
| Subject(s) |
Occupational pathology
|
| Broad subject area(s) |
Chemical safety
|
| Browse category(ies) |
Smoking
|
