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Assessing lung cancer risk in railroad workers using a first hitting time regression model
Author(s) -
Ting Lee MeiLing,
Whitmore G. A.,
Laden Francine,
Hart Jaime E.,
Garshick Eric
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
environmetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.68
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1099-095X
pISSN - 1180-4009
DOI - 10.1002/env.683
Subject(s) - lung cancer , regression analysis , statistics , cancer , medicine , demography , econometrics , environmental health , oncology , mathematics , sociology
This article examines the application of a first hitting time (FHT) model, using an operational time scale, to assess mortality risk differentials of the work environment. A major case application is presented that applies the model to three job categories of railroad workers. The data set involves a study of more than 50 000 workers with mortality assessed from 1959 to 1996. Lung cancer mortality was assessed because of a suspected link to diesel exhaust exposure. Based on a model that stipulates that death occurs when the disease state of a subject first hits a threshold value, the FHT model provides insights into factors influencing disease progression. In this application, in particular, the findings suggest that a job category in 1959 alters the risk of death from lung cancer. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.