Advantage | Ease of access and low cost
Less recall bias
The recorded paternal occupation seems more reliable than maternal occupation | Detailed information about occupational exposure can be acquired in standard way
Confounder information may be available | Not subject to recall bias and tend to be more complete in recording occupational exposure | Ease of assess and low cost
Less recall bias
The recorded paternal occupation seems more reliable than maternal occupation
Investigator can get the outcome information at any time |
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Disadvantage | Incompleteness
Limited to the title of occupation, information bias is more likely
Job changing may introduce the possibility of misclassification of exposure status
Limited confounder information related to congenital malformation | Expensive and time consuming
Certainty depends on the education level and professional knowledge
Easy to contact effect
Interview of the spouse may not provide valid and complete information
Information bias is more likely | May lack the updating information about changing of exposure status over time for individual or certain job title
The completeness and validity of data obtained may be not available
Information of potential confounders may be insufficient | Confounding information may be scanty
Problem of miscoding and wrong data entry may exist |