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Bayesian Analysis of Occupational Exposure Data with Conjugate Priors
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Bayesian Analysis of Occupational Exposure Data with Conjugate Priors

Rachael M Jones and Igor Burstyn
Annals of work exposures and health, v 61(5), pp 504-514
01 Jun 2017
PMID: 28472371
url
https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxx032View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Maybe Open Access (Publisher Bronze) Open
url
https://doi.org/10.1093/ANNWEH/WXX032View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Bayes Theorem Biometry Data Interpretation, Statistical Humans Lead - analysis Models, Statistical Occupational Exposure - analysis Occupational Exposure - statistics & numerical data Occupational Health Software
Bayesian analysis is a flexible method that can yield insight into occupational exposures as the methods quantify plausible values for exposure parameters of interest, such as the mean, variance, and specific percentiles of the exposure distribution. We describe three Bayesian analysis methods for the analysis of normally distributed data (e.g. the logarithm of measurements of chemical hazards) that use conjugate prior distributions (normal for the mean, and inverse-χ2, inverse-Γ, or vague for the variance) to provide analytical expressions for the posterior distributions of the sufficient statistics of the normal distribution (e.g. the mean and variance). From these posterior distributions, the posterior distribution of any parameter of interest about the exposure distribution can be tabulated. The methods are illustrated using lead exposure data collected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration at a copper foundry on multiple occasions. A unique feature of the normal-inverse-Γ method is that dependence of the mean and variance prior distributions is integrated out of the posterior distributions expressions, suggesting that a 'default' prior distribution on variance may be used: candidate default distributions are proposed based on the literature. Relative to other Bayesian analysis methods used in industrial hygiene, the methods described are flexible, and can be implemented without specialized software.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
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