Exposure to TCDD or higher levels of chlorinated dioxins was estimated from job records and questionnaires, and duration of exposure was categorized as <1, 1 4, 5 9, 10 19, or ≥20 years.
We have tried to combine both approaches generally used to estimate exposure to FA (measurements and questionnaires data) to build a predictive model of FA levels that could be applied to subjects involved in an epidemiological survey.
Interestingly, in our study the APA levels correlated with Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire estimates and tiredness results in the subset of seropositive patients, so APA correlated with the severity of the disease only when it is positive.
A pilot survey of 10 physicians in two communities was conducted before initiation of the study to estimate the response and questionnaire completion rates of potential participants.
Men whose occupations involved significant intermittent moderate activity had the largest disagreement between EEDLW and estimates from the questionnaires.
While 30 of the 32 discordant cases were SDQ positive for hyperkinetic disorders in the absence of a clinical diagnosis, this total represents only 6% of the sample, and estimates by parental questionnaires such as the SDQ are known to approximately double the true number of cases in the clinic setting [ 10, 25].
Results Correlations between mean daily beverage intakes estimated from questionnaires and diaries ranged from 0.95-0.99 for human milk, 0.84-0.85 for infant formula, 0.63-0.86 for cow's milk, 0.54-0.69 for juice/drinks, 0.26-0.59 for liquid soft drinks, 0.35-0.74 for powdered soft drinks and 0.54-0.70 for water.
Agreement between the questionnaire prevalence estimates and the interviews ranged between 83.7% (cervical pain today) and 97.9% (thoracic pain today).
These interviews revealed a generally good agreement between interview and questionnaire estimates of bipolar experience.
Correlation coefficients between intakes estimated from the questionnaires and those from DR for fruit, total vegetables and green yellow vegetables, respectively, were 0.55, 0.27 and 0.25 in men and 0.35, 0.31 and 0.19 in women for the JPHC, 17 and 0.76, 0.60 and 0.54 in men and 0.70, 0.45 and 0.44 in women for the MIYAGI.
