Research Methods in Occupational Epidemiology. H Checkoway, N Pearce, D Kriebel. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004, pp. 386, £29.95 (HB). ISBN: 0-19-509242-2.

Extract

This is the second edition of a textbook that has been regarded as the standard in occupational epidemiology during the last decade. The feeling I had reading this new edition is that of balance and clarity. Recommendations are well thought out and documented. The numerous examples (92 in the whole book) are instructive and provide comprehensive material for teaching. The authors have managed to keep a good balance between general issues that are also covered in other textbooks and special topics that refer to the occupational environment. The second edition follows closely the structure of the first with the addition of a new chapter on occupational health surveillance, a substantial modification of the last chapter on special topics, and a more or less extensive update of the remaining chapters.

The book can be separated into two sections. A first part (chapters 2–8) on standard techniques for occupational epidemiology in exposure assessment, study design and analysis, and a second shorter part (chapters 9–11) that covers more advanced topics such a dose modelling.