The article below summarizes a roundtable discussion of a study published in this issue of the Journal in light of its methodology, relevance to practice, and implications for future research. Article discussed:
Lawson CC, Rocheleau CM, Whelan EA, et al. Occupational exposures among nurses and risk of spontaneous abortion. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2012;206:327.e1-8.
Discussion Questions
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What was the overall study design?
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How was exposure defined?
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What was the analytic plan?
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What do the tables tell us?
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What were the strengths and weaknesses of this study?
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How might we use this information?
This month, Journal Club members discussed a nested retrospective cohort analysis of women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study II, a prospective cohort study of 116,430 US nurses. This study, which has been in progress since 1989, evaluates the influence of a number of variables on health outcomes. Upon enrollment, the women, who ranged in age from 25–42 years and represented 14 states, completed mailed questionnaires that asked about their medical and reproductive histories. Follow-up questionnaires are sent every 2 years. In 2001, all participants were mailed a questionnaire that inquired whether they had experienced at least 1 pregnancy since 1993 and whether they were actively employed as a nurse during the most recent of those pregnancies. If so, they were eligible to participate in the nested study. The women who agreed to participate and completed a supplemental questionnaire investigating occupational activities and exposures during that pregnancy make up the study population.
See related article, page 327
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