Comparison of self-assessment of solvent exposure with measurement and professional assessment for female petrochemical workers in China

Objective The primary objective of this paper is to examine the validity of self-assessment of solvent exposure by comparing it with professional assessment and actual measurements. Methods Self-assessment of exposures to benzene, toluene, styrene, and xylene was obtained from 132 female workers. The exposures were also estimated by an occupational hygienist and by actual measurement. Self-assessment, professional assessment, and measurement were then compared with each other. Results Fair to good agreement was found between self-assessment, professional assessment, and measurement for benzene, styrene, and xylene. The agreement between self-assessment and measurement was poor for toluene, whereas the agreement between self-assessment and professional assessment was good. The latter was caused by a biased professional assessment. Conclusions Workers' self-assessment and professional assessment provided useful information for benzene, styrene, and xylene exposure, but not for toluene exposure. False agreement can be obtained when professional assessment was used as reference in validity study. Am. J. Ind. Med. 41:483–489, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.