Aims and objectives

The objectives of the proposed study are (i) to investigate the factors associated with occupational choice (e.g. influence of past behavioural patterns and psychosocial factors, pre-existing conditions, attainment at school, socioeconomic status, and risk factors for developing certain conditions); (ii) to assess the impact of work on health (incident asthma, skin symptoms/dermatitis, accidents, newly recorded or recurrent mental ill health by occupation following starting work); (iii) to describe absenteeism and presenteeism as a result of work-related conditions; (iv) to determine the effect of pre-existing conditions (particularly respiratory- and mental-related, and histories of injuries) on the incidence of conditions and accidents following starting work; (v) to formulate appropriate recommendations specific to those new entrants to the workplace and in whom work-related ill health occurs and for their employers; and in the long run, (vi) to explore the approaches to assessing the economic costs of these impacts.

We propose to explore the following questions:

1. What factors are associated with the decision to continue in further education or to enter the workplace within the ALSPAC subjects?

2. What is the spread of occupations and what are the factors associated with occupational choice?

3. What is the incidence of respiratory conditions (new asthma and new wheezing), skin symptoms/dermatitis, and newly recorded or recurrent mental ill-health by occupational group following starting work?

4. What is the incidence of accidents at work by occupational group?

5. What is the effect of pre-existing conditions (respiratory and mental, and history of injuries) on the incidence of conditions and accidents following starting work?