Frank de Vocht

University of Bristol, Medicine, Faculty Member

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Frank de Vocht is a Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology and Public Health Research, and joined the School of Social and Community Medicine and NIHR School of Public Health Research in 2014. He obtained his PhD from Utrecht University in the Netherlands and subsequently worked at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France, and the Centre for Epidemiology/Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of Manchester, before coming to Bristol. He has over 70 peer-review publications and has written a number of book chapters on epidemiology, exposure assessment and the effects of electromagnetic fields on humans. His work is funded by NIHR, the European Union and several charities, and he specializes in epidemiology of lifestyle, environmental, and occupational risk factors, with a special interest in the assessment, measurement, modelling and interpretation of exposures for epidemiological research. His work to date includes work on the health effects of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, carcinogenic risk in various industries, the health effects of air pollution, and the use of probabilistic methodology in public health research. In addition to his position at the University of Bristol, he is also an honorary Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Epidemiology at The University of Manchester and committee member of the UK Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE).

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Papers by Frank de Vocht

0214 Cancer mortality in the British Rubber industry - a 45 year follow-up

Occupational and environmental medicine, 2014

Working in the rubber and rubber product manufacturing industry has been classified by the Intern... more Working in the rubber and rubber product manufacturing industry has been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as definitely carcinogenic. However, given the complex nature of the chemicals, the phasing out of the use of certain chemicals, and the trend in reduction in exposures, there remains a great deal of uncertainty about the nature of the risks, if any, encountered by workers today. We have at our disposal a large retrospective cohort study of 40 000+ workers who were aged 35+ in 1967, which was last followed up to 1976. We are carrying out an updated cancer mortality analysis adding 35 years to the previous cancer mortality follow-up. We will determine the nature of the dose-response relationships for important known and suspected carcinogens using quantitative exposure modelling based on available measurement data from the EXASRUB project (dust, fumes, solvents, and n-Nitrosamines). We will report on progress to date with the study, which has r...

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Inferring the 1985–2014 impact of mobile phone use on selected brain cancer subtypes using Bayesian structural time series and synthetic controls

Background: Mobile phone use has been increasing rapidly in the past decades and, in parallel, so... more Background: Mobile phone use has been increasing rapidly in the past decades and, in parallel, so has the annual incidence of certain types of brain cancers. However, it remains unclear whether this correlation is coincidental or whether use of mobile phones may cause the development, promotion or progression of specific cancers. The 1985–2014 incidence of selected brain cancer subtypes in England were analyzed and compared to counterfac-tual 'synthetic control' timeseries. Methods: Annual 1985–2014 incidence of malignant glioma, glioblastoma multiforme, and malignant neoplasms of the temporal and parietal lobes in England were modelled based on population-level covariates using Bayesian structural time series models assuming 5,10 and 15 year minimal latency periods. Post-latency counterfactual 'synthetic England' timeseries were nowcast based on covariate trends. The impact of mobile phone use was inferred from differences between measured and modelled time series. Results: There is no evidence of an increase in malignant glioma, glioblastoma multiforme, or malignant neo-plasms of the parietal lobe not predicted in the 'synthetic England' time series. Malignant neoplasms of the temporal lobe however, have increased faster than expected. A latency period of 10 years reflected the earliest latency period when this was measurable and related to mobile phone penetration rates, and indicated an additional increase of 35% (95% Credible Interval 9%:59%) during 2005–2014; corresponding to an additional 188 (95%CI 48–324) cases annually. Conclusions: A causal factor, of which mobile phone use (and possibly other wireless equipment) is in agreement with the hypothesized temporal association, is related to an increased risk of developing malignant neoplasms in the temporal lobe.

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Field comparison of inhalable aerosol samplers applied in the european rubber manufacturing industry

by kristina jakobsson, Maarten Prause, and Frank de Vocht

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 2006

Several studies have been done in Europe to evaluate exposure to dust and fumes in the rubber ind... more Several studies have been done in Europe to evaluate exposure to dust and fumes in the rubber industry. However, different aerosol sampling devices have been used which perform differently depending on the environmental conditions and particle size distribution. To compare measurements of rubber dust and fumes among countries and surveys we initiated a field comparison of personal inhalable samplers using a novel reference inhalable aerosol sampler (CALTOOL). Measurements were done in four factories in the Netherlands, Sweden, Poland and Germany in the mixing and milling and curing department. The Seven-hole sampler, PAS-6 sampler, Millipore (25 and 37 mm) cassette, IOM sampler and a Polish sampler were mounted on the reference CALTOOL device and used simultaneously. All samplers except the IOM sampler under-sampled inhalable dust. To compare measurements from different studies and countries, correction factors should be applied to all but the IOM sampler, which was the only sampler that performed similar to the CALTOOL sampler.

Patient perspectives of a diagnosis of myeloproliferative neoplasm in a case control study

Background: Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) including the classic entities; polycythemia vera... more Background: Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) including the classic entities; polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET) and primary myelofibrosis are rare diseases with unknown aetiology. The MOSAICC study, is an exploratory case–control study in which information was collected through telephone questionnaires and medical records. Methods: As part of the study, 106 patients with MPN were asked about their perceived diagnosis and replies correlated with their haematologist's diagnosis. For the first time, a patient perspective on their MPN diagnosis and classification was obtained. Logistic regression analyses were utilised to evaluate the role of variables in whether or not a patient reported their diagnosis during interview with co-adjustment for these variables. Chi square tests were used to investigate the association between MPN subtype and patient reported categorisation of MPN. Results: Overall, 77.4 % of patients reported a diagnosis of MPN. Of those, 39.6 % recognised MPN as a 'blood condi-tion' , 23.6 % recognised MPN as a 'cancer' and 13.2 % acknowledged MPN as an 'other medical condition'. There was minimal overlap between the categories. Patients with PV were more likely than those with ET to report their disease as a 'blood condition'. ET patients were significantly more likely than PV patients not to report their condition at all. Patients from a single centre were more likely to report their diagnosis as MPN while age, educational status, and WHO re-classification had no effect. Conclusions: The discrepancy between concepts of MPN in patients could result from differing patient interest in their condition, varying information conveyed by treating hematologists, concealment due to denial or financial concerns. Explanations for the differences in patient perception of the nature of their disease, requires further, larger scale investigation.

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Dyes and Pigments

Encyclopedia of Cancer and Society, 2007

Occupational Exposure to Respirable Dust, Respirable Crystalline Silica and Diesel Engine Exhaust Emissions in the London Tunnelling Environment

Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 2015

Personal 8-h shift exposure to respirable dust, diesel engine exhaust emissions (DEEE) (as respir... more Personal 8-h shift exposure to respirable dust, diesel engine exhaust emissions (DEEE) (as respirable elemental carbon), and respirable crystalline silica of workers involved in constructing an underground metro railway tunnel was assessed. Black carbon (BC) concentrations were also assessed using a MicroAeth AE51. During sprayed concrete lining (SCL) activities in the tunnel, the geometric mean (GM) respirable dust exposure level was 0.91mg m(-3), with the highest exposure measured on a back-up sprayer (3.20mg m(-3)). The GM respirable crystalline silica concentration for SCL workers was 0.03mg m(-3), with the highest measurement also for the back-up sprayer (0.24mg m(-3)). During tunnel boring machine (TBM) activities, the GM respirable dust concentration was 0.54mg m(-3). The GM respirable elemental carbon concentration for all the TBM operators was 18 µg m(-3); with the highest concentration measured on a segment lifter. The BC concentrations were higher in the SCL environment in comparison to the TBM environment (daily GM 18-54 µg m(-3) versus 3-6 µg m(-3)). This small-scale monitoring campaign provides additional personal data on exposures experienced by underground tunnel construction workers.

A review of job-exposure matrix methodology for application to workers exposed to radiation from internally deposited plutonium or other radioactive materials

Journal of radiological protection : official journal of the Society for Radiological Protection, Jan 10, 2016

Any potential health effects of radiation emitted from radionuclides deposited in the bodies of w... more Any potential health effects of radiation emitted from radionuclides deposited in the bodies of workers exposed to radioactive materials can be directly investigated through epidemiological studies. However, estimates of radionuclide exposure and consequent tissue-specific doses, particularly for early workers for whom monitoring was relatively crude but exposures tended to be highest, can be uncertain, limiting the accuracy of risk estimates. We review the use of job-exposure matrices (JEMs) in peer-reviewed epidemiological and exposure assessment studies of nuclear industry workers exposed to radioactive materials as a method for addressing gaps in exposure data, and discuss methodology and comparability between studies. We identified nine studies of nuclear worker cohorts in France, Russia, the USA and the UK that had incorporated JEMs in their exposure assessments. All these JEMs were study or cohort-specific, and although broadly comparable methodologies were used in their cons...

Environmental and occupational toxicants

by Silvia Balbo and Frank de Vocht

IARC scientific publications, 2011

Biological monitoring is the analysis of human biological materials for a substance of interest a... more Biological monitoring is the analysis of human biological materials for a substance of interest and/or its metabolites (biomarkers) or a biochemical change that occurs as a result of an exposure to provide a quantitative measure of exposure or dose. These measures can be used in epidemiological studies either directly as estimates of exposure or indirectly in the calibration of other exposure assessment methods, such as questionnaires. This chapter will discuss important methodological considerations for the implementation of biomarkers of exogenous exposure in epidemiology by focusing on biomarker characteristics (e.g. variability, half-life) and their application in different study designs.

Wishful Thinking? Inside the Black Box of Exposure Assessment

Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 2016

Decision-making processes used by experts when undertaking occupational exposure assessment are r... more Decision-making processes used by experts when undertaking occupational exposure assessment are relatively unknown, but it is often assumed that there is a common underlying method that experts employ. However, differences in training and experience of assessors make it unlikely that one general method for expert assessment would exist. Therefore, there are concerns about formalizing, validating, and comparing expert estimates within and between studies that are difficult, if not impossible, to characterize. Heuristics on the other hand (the processes involved in decision making) have been extensively studied. Heuristics are deployed by everyone as short-cuts to make the often complex process of decision-making simpler, quicker, and less burdensome. Experts&amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; assessments are often subject to various simplifying heuristics as a way to reach a decision in the absence of sufficient data. Therefore, investigating the underlying heuristics or decision-making processes involved may help to shed light on the &amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;black box&amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; of exposure assessment. A mixed method study was conducted utilizing both a web-based exposure assessment exercise incorporating quantitative and semiqualitative elements of data collection, and qualitative semi-structured interviews with exposure assessors. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Twenty-five experts completed the web-based exposure assessment exercise and 8 of these 25 were randomly selected to participate in the follow-up interview. Familiar key themes relating to the exposure assessment exercise emerged; &amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;intensity&amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;; &amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;probability&amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;; &amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;agent&amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;; &amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;process&amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;; and &amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;duration&amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; of exposure. However, an important aspect of the detailed follow-up interviews revealed a lack of structure and order with which participants described their decision making. Participants mostly described some form of an iterative process, heavily relying on the anchoring and adjustment heuristic, which differed between experts. In spite of having undertaken comparable training (in occupational hygiene or exposure assessment), experts use different methods to assess exposure. Decision making appears to be an iterative process with heavy reliance on the key heuristic of anchoring and adjustment. Using multiple experts to assess exposure while providing some form of anchoring scenario to build from, and additional training in understanding the impact of simple heuristics on the process of decision making, is likely to produce a more methodical approach to assessment; thereby improving consistency and transparency in expert exposure assessment.

Spatial variation of PM elemental composition between and within 20 European study areas — Results of the ESCAPE project

Environment International, 2015

An increasing number of epidemiological studies suggest that adverse health effects of air pollut... more An increasing number of epidemiological studies suggest that adverse health effects of air pollution may be related to particulate matter (PM) composition, particularly trace metals. However, we lack comprehensive data on the spatial distribution of these elements. We measured PM2.5 and PM10 in twenty study areas across Europe in three seasonal two-week periods over a year using Harvard impactors and standardized protocols. In each area, we selected street (ST), urban (UB) and regional background (RB) sites (totaling 20) to characterize local spatial variability. Elemental composition was determined by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis of all PM2.5 and PM10 filters. We selected a priori eight (Cu, Fe, K, Ni, S, Si, V, Zn) well-detected elements of health interest, which also roughly represented different sources including traffic, industry, ports, and wood burning. PM elemental composition varied greatly across Europe, indicating different regional influences. Average street to urban background ratios ranged from 0.90 (V) to 1.60 (Cu) for PM2.5 and from 0.93 (V) to 2.28 (Cu) for PM10. Our selected PM elements were variably correlated with the main pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, PM2.5 absorbance, NO2 and NOx) across Europe: in general, Cu and Fe in all size fractions were highly correlated (Pearson correlations above 0.75); Si and Zn in the coarse fractions were modestly correlated (between 0.5 and 0.75); and the remaining elements in the various size fractions had lower correlations (around 0.5 or below). This variability in correlation demonstrated the distinctly different spatial distributions of most of the elements. Variability of PM10_Cu and Fe was mostly due to within-study area differences (67% and 64% of overall variance, respectively) versus between-study area and exceeded that of most other traffic-related pollutants, including NO2 and soot, signaling the importance of non-tailpipe (e.g., brake wear) emissions in PM.

Myeloproliferative neoplasm patient symptom burden and quality of life: Evidence of significant impairment compared to controls

by Mary McMullin and Frank de Vocht

American Journal of Hematology, 2015

The myeloproliferative neoplasms including polycythaemia vera, essential thrombocythaemia and pri... more The myeloproliferative neoplasms including polycythaemia vera, essential thrombocythaemia and primary myelofibrosis are rare diseases contributing to significant morbidity. Symptom management is a prime treatment objective but current symptom assessment tools have not been validated compared to the general population. The MPN-Symptom Assessment Form (MPN-SAF), a reliable and validated clinical tool to assess MPN symptom burden, was administered to MPN patients (n=106) and, for the first time, population controls (n=124) as part of a UK case-control study. Mean symptom scores were compared between patients and controls adjusting for potential confounders. Mean patient scores were compared to data collected by the Mayo Clinic, USA on 1,446 international MPN patients to determine patient group representativeness. MPN patients had significantly higher mean scores than controls for 25 of the 26 symptoms measured(p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.05); fatigue was the most common symptom (92.4% and 78.1%, respectively). Female MPN patients suffered worse symptom burden than male patients(p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001) and substantially worse burden than female controls(p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001). Compared to the Mayo clinic patients, MPN-UK patients reported similar symptom burden but lower satiety(p=0.046). Patients with PMF reported the worst symptom burden(88.3%); significantly higher than PV patients(p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001). For the first time we report quality of life was worse in MPN-UK patients compared with controls(p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

0214 Cancer mortality in the British Rubber industry - a 45 year follow-up

by Frank de Vocht and D. McElvenny

Occupational and environmental medicine, 2014

Transient health symptoms of MRI staff working with 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla scanners in the UK

by Martie Van Tongeren and Frank de Vocht

European Radiology, 2015

Recent studies have consistently shown that amongst staff working with MRI, transient symptoms di... more Recent studies have consistently shown that amongst staff working with MRI, transient symptoms directly attributable to the MRI system including dizziness, nausea, tinnitus, and concentration problems are reported. This study assessed symptom prevalence and incidence in radiographers and other staff working with MRI in healthcare in the UK. One hundred and four volunteer staff from eight sites completed a questionnaire and kept a diary to obtain information on subjective symptoms and work practices, and wore a magnetic field dosimeter during one to three randomly selected working days. Incidence of MRI-related symptoms was obtained for all shifts and prevalence of MRI-related and reference symptoms was associated to explanatory factors using ordinal regression. Incident symptoms related to working with MRI were reported in 4 % of shifts. Prevalence of MRI-related, but not reference symptoms were associated with number of hours per week working with MRI, shift length, and stress, but not with magnetic field strength (1.5 and 3 T) or measured magnetic field exposure. Reporting of prevalent symptoms was associated with longer duration of working in MRI departments, but not with measured field strength of exposure. Other factors related to organisation and stress seem to contribute to increased reporting of MRI-related symptoms. • Routine work with MRI is associated with increased reporting of transient symptoms • No link to the strength of the magnetic field was demonstrated. • Organisational factors and stress additionally contribute to reporting of MRI-related symptoms.

Author's reply to koppisch et al. 2014

Historical exposure levels of inhalable dust in the Polish rubber industry compared to levels in Western Europe

by Wojciech Sobala and Frank de Vocht

Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2009

Although studies have been carried out to assess inhalable dust exposure levels in the rubber man... more Although studies have been carried out to assess inhalable dust exposure levels in the rubber manufacturing industry, the levels of exposure in factories in Eastern Europe are less well documented. Routine stationary sampling for compliance testing of inhalable aerosols has however been conducted in a large factory producing tires and tubes in Poland between 1981 and 1996 (N=6,152). This study was conducted to assess historical inhalable aerosol levels in different departments in this rubber plant and to compare the results with estimates based on European data from the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany, and also Poland (EXASRUB project). Geometric mean (GM) concentrations in the factory ranged from 2.41 mg/m 3 to 5.82 mg/m 3 and were to a large extent associated to the actual production capacity of the plant and flow of the production process. Whereas 3-4 fold differences between departments existed prior to about 1985, stronger reduction of exposure in the raw materials and finishing departments (-12%/year) compared to other departments (range -5%/yr to -3%/yr), resulted in comparable levels in the 1990s. However, in the pre-treating departments, average concentrations were still about a factor 2-3 higher than in other departments, which could presumably be attributed to the use of anti-tacking agents. GM concentrations have been modelled using (1) stationary measurements collected in the Polish factory only, or (2) all European data collected in the EXASRUB project. Comparison of the estimates showed that these were fairly similar for both datasets. This analysis showed that the levels of inhalable aerosols in the Polish rubber industry have been at least a factor three to four higher than in Western European countries in the 1980s and 1990s, depending on the department, but that these differences were getting smaller in the 1990s. Furthermore, the

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Long Term Exposure to PM10 and NO2 in Association with Lung Volume and Airway Resistance in the MAAS Birth Cohort

Environmental Health Perspectives, 2013

Findings from previous studies on the effects of air pollution exposure on lung function during c... more Findings from previous studies on the effects of air pollution exposure on lung function during childhood have been inconsistent. A common limitation has been the quality of exposure data used, and few studies have modeled exposure longitudinally throughout early life. oBjectives: We sought to study the long-term effects of exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm (PM 10 ) and to nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) on specific airway resistance (sR aw ) and forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV 1 ) before and after bronchodilator treatment. Subjects were from the Manchester Asthma and Allergy Study (MAAS) birth cohort (n = 1,185). Methods: Spirometry was performed during clinic visits at ages 3, 5, 8, and 11 years. Individuallevel PM 10 and NO 2 exposures were estimated from birth to 11 years of age through a microenvironmental exposure model. Longitudinal and cross-sectional associations were estimated using generalized estimating equations and multivariable linear regression models. results: Lifetime exposure to PM 10 and NO 2 was associated with significantly less growth in FEV 1 (percent predicted) over time, both before (-1.37%; 95% CI: -2.52, -0.23 for a 1-unit increase in PM 10 and -0.83%; 95% CI: -1.39, -0.28 for a 1-unit increase in NO 2 ) and after bronchodilator treatment (-3.59%; 95% CI: -5.36, -1.83 and -1.20%; 95% CI: -1.97, -0.43, respectively). We found no association between lifetime exposure and sR aw over time. Cross-sectional analyses of detailed exposure estimates for the summer and winter before 11 years of age and lung function at 11 years indicated no significant associations. conclusions: Long-term PM 10 and NO 2 exposures were associated with small but statistically significant reductions in lung volume growth in children of elementary-school age. citation: Mölter A, Agius RM, de Vocht F, Lindley S, Gerrard W, Lowe L, Belgrave D, Custovic A, Simpson A. 2013. Long-term exposure to PM 10 and NO 2 in association with lung volume and airway resistance in the MAAS birth cohort. Environ Health Perspect 121:1232-1238. http://dx.

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Refutation of dirty electricity hypothesis in obesity: epistemological arguments and trans-disciplinary study using an instrumental variable

Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, 2014

Spatial variation of PM2.5, PM10, PM2.5 absorbance and PMcoarse concentrations between and within 20 European study areas and the relationship with NO2 – Results of the ESCAPE project

Atmospheric Environment, 2012

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How common are myeloproliferative neoplasms? A systematic review and meta-analysis

American Journal of Hematology, 2014

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a heterogeneous group of diseases including polycythemia ... more Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a heterogeneous group of diseases including polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and primary(idiopathic) myelofibrosis (PMF). In this systematic review, we provide a comprehensive report on the incidence and prevalence of MPNs across the globe. Electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Web of Science) were searched from their inception to August 2012 for articles reporting MPN incidence or prevalence rates. A random effects meta-analysis was undertaken to produce combined incidence rates for PV, ET, and PMF. Both heterogeneity and small study bias were assessed. Thirty-four studies were included. Reported annual incidence rates ranged from 0.01 to 2.61, 0.21 to 2.27, and 0.22 to 0.99 per 100,000 for PV, ET, and PMF, respectively. The combined annual incidence rates for PV, ET, and PMF were 0.84, 1.03, and 0.47 per 100,000. There was high heterogeneity across disease entities (I(2) 97.1-99.8%) and evidence of publication bias for ET and PMF (Egger test, P = 50.007 and P ≤ 0.001, respectively).The pooled incidence reflects the rarity of MPNs. The calculated pooled incidence rates do not reflect MPN incidence across the globe due to the high unexplained heterogeneity. Improved, widespread registration of MPNs would provide better information for global comparison of the incidence and prevalence of MPNs.

Measurable effects of local alcohol licensing policies on population health in England

by Rona Campbell and Frank de Vocht

Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 2015

English alcohol policy is implemented at local government level, leading to variations in how it ... more English alcohol policy is implemented at local government level, leading to variations in how it is put into practice. We evaluated whether differences in the presence or absence of cumulative impact zones and the &#39;intensity&#39; of licensing enforcement-both aimed at regulating the availability of alcohol and modifying the drinking environment-were associated with harm as measured by alcohol-related hospital admissions. Premises licensing data were obtained at lower tier local authority (LTLA) level from the Home Office Alcohol and Late Night Refreshment Licensing data for 2007-2012, and LTLAs were coded as &#39;passive&#39;, low, medium or highly active based on whether they made use of cumulative impact areas and/or whether any licences for new premises were declined. These data were linked to 2009-2015 alcohol-related hospital admission and alcohol-related crime rates obtained from the Local Alcohol Profiles for England. Population size and deprivation data were obtained from the Office of National Statistics. Changes in directly age-standardised rates of people admitted to hospital with alcohol-related conditions were analysed using hierarchical growth modelling. Stronger reductions in alcohol-related admission rates were observed in areas with more intense alcohol licensing policies, indicating an &#39;exposure-response&#39; association, in the 2007-2015 period. Local areas with the most intensive licensing policies had an additional 5% reduction (p=0.006) in 2015 compared with what would have been expected had these local areas had no active licensing policy in place. Local licensing policies appear to be associated with a reduction in alcohol-related hospital admissions in areas with more intense licensing policies.

0214 Cancer mortality in the British Rubber industry - a 45 year follow-up

Occupational and environmental medicine, 2014

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Inferring the 1985–2014 impact of mobile phone use on selected brain cancer subtypes using Bayesian structural time series and synthetic controls

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Field comparison of inhalable aerosol samplers applied in the european rubber manufacturing industry

by kristina jakobsson, Maarten Prause, and Frank de Vocht

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 2006

Patient perspectives of a diagnosis of myeloproliferative neoplasm in a case control study

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Dyes and Pigments

Encyclopedia of Cancer and Society, 2007

Occupational Exposure to Respirable Dust, Respirable Crystalline Silica and Diesel Engine Exhaust Emissions in the London Tunnelling Environment

Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 2015

A review of job-exposure matrix methodology for application to workers exposed to radiation from internally deposited plutonium or other radioactive materials

Journal of radiological protection : official journal of the Society for Radiological Protection, Jan 10, 2016

Environmental and occupational toxicants

by Silvia Balbo and Frank de Vocht

IARC scientific publications, 2011

Wishful Thinking? Inside the Black Box of Exposure Assessment

Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 2016

Spatial variation of PM elemental composition between and within 20 European study areas — Results of the ESCAPE project

Environment International, 2015

Myeloproliferative neoplasm patient symptom burden and quality of life: Evidence of significant impairment compared to controls

by Mary McMullin and Frank de Vocht

American Journal of Hematology, 2015

0214 Cancer mortality in the British Rubber industry - a 45 year follow-up

by Frank de Vocht and D. McElvenny

Occupational and environmental medicine, 2014

Transient health symptoms of MRI staff working with 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla scanners in the UK

by Martie Van Tongeren and Frank de Vocht

European Radiology, 2015

Author's reply to koppisch et al. 2014

Historical exposure levels of inhalable dust in the Polish rubber industry compared to levels in Western Europe

by Wojciech Sobala and Frank de Vocht

Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2009

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Long Term Exposure to PM10 and NO2 in Association with Lung Volume and Airway Resistance in the MAAS Birth Cohort

Environmental Health Perspectives, 2013

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Refutation of dirty electricity hypothesis in obesity: epistemological arguments and trans-disciplinary study using an instrumental variable

Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, 2014

Spatial variation of PM2.5, PM10, PM2.5 absorbance and PMcoarse concentrations between and within 20 European study areas and the relationship with NO2 – Results of the ESCAPE project

Atmospheric Environment, 2012

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How common are myeloproliferative neoplasms? A systematic review and meta-analysis

American Journal of Hematology, 2014

Measurable effects of local alcohol licensing policies on population health in England

by Rona Campbell and Frank de Vocht

Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 2015

Identifying public health policy makers’ sources of information: Comparing survey and network analyses

by Kathryn Oliver and Frank de Vocht

Background Research suggests that policy makers often use personal contacts to find information ... more Background
Research suggests that policy makers often use personal contacts to find information and advice. However, little is known who or what are the main sources of information for public health policy makers. This study aims to describe policy makers’ sources of information and compare categorical with network data.
Methods
A questionnaire survey of public health policy makers across Greater Manchester was carried out (response rate 48%). All policy actors involved in public health policy (finding, analyzing or producing information, producing or implementing policy) in Greater Manchester were included in the sampling frame. Respondents were provided with a list of sources of information and asked which they used; if they used any other sources of information, and finally to name specific individuals who acted as sources of information. Data were analysed using frequencies and network analysis.
Results
The most frequently chosen sources of information from the categorical data were NICE, government websites and Directors of Public Health. However, the network data showed that the main sources of information in the network were actually mid-level managers in the NHS, who had no direct expertise in public health. Academics and researchers did not feature in the network.

Conclusion

Both survey and network analyses provide useful insights into how policy makers access information. Network analysis offers practical and theoretical contributions to the EBP (spell out) debate. Identifying individuals who act as key users and producers of evidence allows academics to target actors likely to use and disseminate their work.

Frank de Vocht

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