Study of Use of Products and Exposure Related Behavior (SUPERB)

Authors: I. Hertz-Picciotto(1), K. Lee(2), D.H. Bennett(1), B. Ritz(3), D.L. Cassady(1), D. Sava(1), R.A. Vogt(1), G. Larsen(3)

Exposure to toxic compounds can be influenced by microenvironmental influences and by human activity patterns that bring persons in contact with exposures.  A major gap in the current knowledge base is related to variability across time, as most attempts to generate exposure data have been cross-sectional or short-term.  There are also key methodological issues in recruiting representative participant groups from the population for the collection of data at multiple time points.  The proposed project will develop data collection platforms that can be used in longitudinal assessments of change in exposure-related behaviors.  These platforms, which are designed to vary in the demand on participants, will be tested in a population-based sample. 

The data to be collected will characterize short-term, seasonal, and long-term changes in daily activities, food consumption habits, and use of household and personal care products.  Since human activity patterns can change rather quickly, we will conduct longitudinal multiple tiered assessment of exposure-related behaviors. 

We will evaluate multiple data collection methods for validity (accuracy), precision, cost, and user acceptability.  Three data collection methods will be used.  First, annual surveys will be administered by telephone for three consecutive years for the entire study population.  Second, web-administered versions of each of the three sections (i.e. activities, food consumption, and product use) of the surveys completed every three months for 1 year by a subset of the population.  Third, passive measures of behavior will be collected for a subset of the population, including video taping to document food preparation, collection of food receipts, GPS and motion sensors for recording activities, and taking inventory of and weighing consumer products. 

The study results will be used to 1) make recommendations for a national longitudinal collection platform to assess exposure-related behaviors, and 2) create datasets in a format compatible with the EPA's Consolidated Human Activity Database. 

Presented:

International Society for Exposure Assessment Annual Meeting, October 29 – November 2, 2005, Tucson, Arizona

Affiliations: University of California, Davis University of Kentucky University of California, Los Angeles