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Date of filling in this questionnaire or last update: 05/03/2026
1. IDENTIFICATION & BASIC DESCRIPTION
Cohort name
  Work Environment and Health in Denmark (WEHD)
Country
 

  • Denmark
Please provide any other information on the cohort location/s if needed
  Denmark
Name
  Reiner Rugulies
Institution
  National Research Centre for the Working Environment
Email
  rer@nfa.dk
Personal website
  https://nfa.dk/da/Forskning/Person?employeeId=4684d49a-5fe6-43e0-b3a6-5959f3d2f472
Do you want to add another Principal Investigator of the Cohort
 

  • Add another Principal Investigator of the cohort
Name
  Anne Helene Garde
Institution
  National Research Centre for the Working Environment
Email
  ahg@nfa.dk
Personal website
  https://nfa.dk/da/Forskning/Person?employeeId=8e894baf-467c-45d3-8abe-41a805b30b22
Website
 

  • https://at.dk/arbejdsmiljoe-i-tal/arbejdsmiljoe-og-helbred-2012-2018/
Name of committee
  Danish Data Protection Agency
Upload files
 

Or provide website
 

  • https://at.dk/arbejdsmiljoe-i-tal/om-undersoegelsen-arbejdsmiljoe-og-helbred/
Contact Principal Investigator (name)
  Reiner Rugulies and Anne Helene Garde
Data access policy (briefly describe)
  Data may be accessed for research purposes after application to the steering committee. Data is accessible at Statistics Denmark.
Is this cohort part of a consortium? (name consortium)
  The European Occupational Exposome and Health Cohort Consortium
Participation in pooled analyses
 

  • The cohort is potentially interested in participating in pooled analyses of (European) occupational cohort studies (note pooled analyses also includes remote decentralized analyses that would not require any transfer of primary data as well as meta-analyses).
Main aim of cohort, please briefly describe the main objectives of the cohort
  The aim of ‘Work Environment and Health in Denmark’ (WEHD) is to monitor the work environment and health among employees in Denmark
Study design (please select as many as appropriate)
 

  • Prospective cohort
Source population (please select as many as appropriate)
 

  • General population: National
  • Industry / occupation-based
Comparators (please select as many as appropriate)
 

  • Internal study population
  • External comparison of workers with other exposure
  • External study population (includes SMR/SIR studies)
Inclusion criteria
  Sampling criteria in 2012 were (i) 18-64 years of age with records of an address in Denmark and (ii) monthly working hours >35 and a monthly income of >3000 Danish kroner ($530/400 euros) subject to taxation.
Enrollment
  Completed
Age range at entry (main cohort)
 

Minimum Maximum Mean
18 64

Age range at entry (subcohort)
 

Minimum Maximum Mean Please describe
18 64

Men at enrollment
  11,861
Women at enrollment
  14,217
Children (<18 years) at enrollment
  0
Men at last follow-up
  11,861
Women at last follow-up
  14,217
Children (<18 years) at last follow-up
  0
Participation rate at enrollment (if known)
  51.1
Comments
  The questionnaire is sent to a random sample of approx 40,000 employees every second year. A subsample of approx. 10,000 employees from 2012 are followed in 2014, 2016 and 2018. Please contact principal investigators for further information.
2. OUTCOME FOLLOW-UP
Type of data for outcome follow-up (please select as many as appropriate)
 

  • Active (contact with participants)
  • Death certificate
  • Disease incidence records
  • Hospital / physician diagnoses
  • Use of registers (specify)
Active (contact with participants) (specify)
 

  • A subsample was followed with questionnaires including e.g. symptoms in 2014, 2016 and 2018
Death certificate (specify)
 

  • All diagnosis in the Danish Causes of Death Register
Disease incidence records (specify)
 

  • If available in National registers
Hospital / Physician diagnoses (specify)
 

  • All diagnosis in the Danish National Patient register, the Danish Cancer register and the Danish National Prescription registry
Specify: Use of registers
 

  • Please see above
First follow-up period (provide year)
  2012
Last follow-up period (provide year)
  2024
Number of follow-ups after baseline (provide number)
  12
Participation at last follow-up (if known)
  99
3. OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES
Source of exposure data collected (please select as many as appropriate)
 

  • Questionnaire, Personal (Self-reporting or interview)
  • Questionnaire, Personal (Occupational/industry modules)
  • Job-employment records
  • Registry-based
Occupational history/time frame
  Lifetime
Occupational coding performed
  Yes
Occupation (specify coding system used)
 

  • DISCO-08 classification system, which is a Danish, and slightly modified version of International Standard Classification of Occupations 2008 (ISCO08)
Industry (specify coding system used)
 

  • Danish industrial coding system
Methods for exposure assessment (please select as many as appropriate)
 

  • Job Exposure Matrix
  • Self-report
 

  • Lifestyle JEM (DK)
Please insert reference/further information
  Data may be linked to the Danish Lifestyle JEM (but lifestyle is also included in the dataset)
 

  • Light JEM (DK)
Please insert reference/further information
  Data may be linked to the Danish Light JEM
 

  • Noise JEM (DK)
Please insert reference/further information
  Data may be linked to the Danish Noise JEM
 

  • Psyk JEM
Please insert reference/further information
  Data may be linked to the Danish Psyk JEM
Main categories
 

  • Dusts and fibres
  • Solvents
  • Physical agents
  • Ergonomics, physical workload, and injury related
  • Psychosocial domains
  • Organisation of work including working time
Dusts and fibres | Fibres
 

  • Asbestos (any form of asbestos chrysotile, crocidolite, tremolite, anthophyllite, etc. or asbestos-containing material)
  • Rock wool
Dusts and fibres | Inorganic dusts
 

  • Cement
  • Quartz (quartz or crystalline silica containing dusts)
  • Stone (Natural or Artificial)
Dusts and fibres | Organic dusts
 

  • Animal dust (from living animals or hairs of animals, e.g. raw wool, furs of minks, etc.)
  • Flour dust
  • Textile dust
  • Wood dust (not specified)
Solvents | Other
 

  • Other
Solvents | Other | Specify: Other
  Disinfection
Physical agents
 

  • Noise
  • Whole body vibration
Ergonomics, physical workload, and injury related
 

  • Awkward work postures (e.g. kneeling/squatting, elevated arms, neck flection, back bent forward without support)
  • Physical work load (e.g. heavy lifting of people or objects, pushing/pulling)
  • Repetitive work movements
  • Sedentary work
  • Standing work
Psychosocial domains | Job task characteristics/organization of work
 

  • Effort-reward imbalance (ERI)
  • Job control, autonomy
  • Psychological job demands
  • Role conflict/ambiguity/clarity
  • Social support at work from supervisors
  • Skill use opportunities
  • Work engagement
  • Other (specify)
Psychosocial domains | Job task characteristics/organization of work | Specify: Other
  Negative experiences at work
Physical agents | Work/non-work interface
 

  • Work-family (work-home) interface/conflict/balance
Organisation of work including working time | Employment conditions
 

  • Job insecurity
  • Size of the workplace and company
Organisation of work including working time | Shift work
 

  • Night (permanent or rotating)
  • Rotating (not night)
Organisation of work including working time | Working hours
 

  • Duration
4. OUTCOMES EVALUATED
Baseline - type of outcome data collected (select more than one if applicable)
 

  • Death certificates
  • Medical records
  • Questionnaire, individual (self-recording or interview)
  • Registry-based
Registry-based
 

  • Birth register
  • Cancer incidence
  • Employment status
  • Hospital discharge
  • Medication usage
  • Mortality register
  • Migration
Follow-up - type of outcome data collected (select more than one if applicable)
 

  • Death certificates
  • Medical records
  • Questionnaire, individual (self-recording or interview)
  • Registry-based
Registry-based
 

  • Birth register
  • Cancer incidence
  • Disease specific clinical database
  • Employment status
  • Hospital discharge
  • Medication usage
  • Mortality register
  • Migration
Outcome type (please select as many as appropriate)
 

  • Mortality
  • Morbidity
  • Disability
Diagnostic groups based on ICD10
 

  • A Bacterial infectious disease, type of microorganisms*
  • B Viral infections, type of microorganisms*
  • B99 Other and unspecified infectious diseases, type of microorganisms*
  • C + D Neoplasms
  • D Diseases of blood and blood-forming organs excl. leukemia
  • E Endocrinological disease
  • E Malnutrition and obesity
  • E Metabolism disease
  • F Mental disorders
  • G Disease in the nervous system
  • H Disorders of the eye
  • H Disorders of the ear
  • I Heart disease
  • I Cerebrovascular diseases
  • J Respiratory disease
  • K Diseases of oral cavity, salivary glands and jaws
  • K Diseases of oesophagus, stomach, duodenum and appendix
  • K Hernia, colon and intestine disease
  • K Diseases of peritoneum, liver
  • L Skin, nail and hair disorders
  • M Arthritis, arthrosis, systemic connective disorders, spine disorders
  • M Disorders of muscles, bones, synovialis, bursa, cartilage
  • N Kidney, renal pelvis disease
  • N Male and female related disorders
  • O+P Pregnancy and labour
  • Q After birth – child disorders
  • S Injuries
A Bacterial infectious disease, type of microorganisms*
 

  • Anasakis
  • Bartonella
  • Bordetella pertussis
  • Borrelia
  • Brucella
  • Campylobacter
  • Coxiella
  • Clostridium tetani
  • Clostridium difficile
  • Francisella tularensis
  • Helicobacter pylori
  • Legionella
  • Leishmania
  • Leptospira
  • Mycobacterium bovis
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae
  • Neisseria meningitides
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • Rickettsia
  • Salmonella
  • Shigella
  • Staphylococcus
  • Streptococcus
  • Toxocara
  • Toxoplasma gondii
  • Trachomatis
  • Treponema pallidum
  • Trichomonas vaginalis
  • Other bacterial infections, please state
B Viral infections, type of microorganisms
 

  • Cytomegalovirus
  • Hantavirus
  • Hepatitis (A,B,C,E)
  • HIV virus
  • Human herpes virus
  • Human papilloma virus
  • Human T-lymphotrophic virus
  • Influenza virus
  • Measles virus
  • Monkey pox virus
  • Mumps virus
  • Parvovirus
  • Rhinovirus
  • Rubella virus
  • Tick-borne encephalitis virus
  • Varicella zoster virus
  • West Nile virus
  • SARS coronavirus
  • Other viral infections, please state
B99 Other and unspecified infectious diseases, type of microorganisms
 

  • Giardia lamblia
  • Chlamydia
  • Other infections, please state
C + D Neoplasms
 

  • Benign neoplasm
  • Carcinoma in situ
  • Leukemia
  • Malignant neoplasms gastro intes. system including liver, gall bladder, pancreas
  • Malignant neoplasm lung
  • Mesothelioma
  • Other malignant neoplasm of respiratory and intrathoracic organs, heart, pleura
  • Malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage
  • Melanoma and other malignant neoplasms of skin
  • Neoplasms connective and soft tissue including nerves
  • Malignant neoplasm of breast
  • Malignant neoplasms, females gynecological
  • Malignant neoplasms of male genital organs
  • Malignant neoplasm of urinary tract and kidney
  • Malignant neoplasms of eye, brain and other parts of central nervous system
  • Malignant neoplasms of thyroid and other endocrine glands
  • Malignant neoplasms of ill-defined, secondary and unspecified sites
  • Malignant neoplasm without specification of site including excl. leukemia
  • Other, please state
D Diseases of blood and blood-forming organs excl. leukemia
 

  • Diseases of spleen
  • Polycythaemia vera
  • Myelodysplastic syndromes
  • Essential (haemorrhagic) thrombocythaemia
  • Other neoplasms of uncertain or unknown behaviour of lymphoid, haematopoietic and related tissue
  • Iron deficiency
  • Vitamin deficiency
  • Aplastic and other anemias
  • Acquired haemolytic anaemia
  • Enzyme disorders including Thalassaemia and Sickle-cell disorders
  • Other anaemias
  • Anaemia, unspecified
  • Coagulation defects
  • Purpura and other haemorrhagic conditions
  • Other diseases of blood and blood-forming organs
  • Immunodeficiency
  • Sarcoidosis
  • Other, please state
E Endocrinological disease
 

  • Thyroidea
  • Parathyroidea
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Pituitary
  • Other endocrinological disease
  • Adrenogenital disorders
  • Testicular dysfunction
  • Other, please state
E Malnutrition and obesity
 

  • Vitamin A deficiency
  • Thiamine deficiency
  • Deficiency of other B group vitamins
  • Vitamin D deficiency
  • Deficiency of vitamin E
  • Deficiency of vitamin K
  • Vitamin deficiency, unspecified
  • Calcium deficiency
  • Deficiency of other nutrient elements
  • Obesity
  • Other, please state
E Metabolism disease
 

  • Disorder of amino-acid metabolism, unspecified
  • Lactose intolerance
  • Disorders of sphingolipid metabolism and other lipid storage disorders
  • Disorders of glycosaminoglycan and glucoprotein metabolism metabolism
  • Disorders of lipoprotein metabolism and other lipidaemias
  • Hypercholesterolemia
  • Disorders of purine and pyrimidine metabolism
  • Disorders of porphyrin and bilirubin metabolism
  • Disorders of mineral metabolism
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Other, please state
F Mental disorders
 

  • Dementia
  • Personality and behavioural disorders
  • Schizophrenia
  • Mood [affective] disorders
  • Depression
  • Eating disorders
  • Mental retardation
  • Disorders of psychological development including autism and Aspergers syndrome
  • Other mental disorder, not otherwise specified
  • Other, please state
G Disease in the nervous system
 

  • Infectious diseases of the central nervous system
  • Non-infectious encephalitis, myelitis and encephalomyelitis
  • Intracranial and intraspinal abscess and granuloma
  • Systemic atrophies primarily affecting the central nervous system including
  • Huntington's disease and Hereditary ataxia
  • Spinal muscular atrophy and related syndromes
  • Parkinson's disease
  • Dystonia
  • Alzheimer's disease
  • Other degenerative disorders of nervous system in diseases classified elsewhere
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Epilepsy
  • Migraine
  • Sleep disorders
  • Facial nerve disorders
  • Disorders of other cranial nerves
  • Nerve root and plexus disorders
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Lesion of ulnar nerve
  • Lesion of radial nerve
  • Other mononeuropathies
  • Polyneuropathies and other disorders of the peripheral nervous system
  • Myasthenia gravis and other myoneural disorders
  • Muscular dystrophy
  • Muscular myopathy
  • Cerebral palsy and other paralytic syndromes
  • Toxic encephalopathy
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Other, please state
H Disorders of the eye
 

  • Disorders of eyelid
  • Xanthelasma of eyelid
  • Disorders of lachrymal system
  • Disorders of orbit
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Disorders of sclera
  • Disorders of cornea
  • Iridocyclitis
  • Senile cataract
  • Other cataract
  • Other disorders of lens
  • Retinal disorders
  • Glaucoma
  • Other disorders of vitreous body and globe in diseases classified elsewhere
  • Disorders of optic nerve and visual pathways
  • Disorders of ocular muscles, binocular movement, accommodation and refraction
  • Visual disturbances and blindness
  • Other, please state
H Disorders of the ear
 

  • Diseases of middle ear and mastoid
  • Diseases of inner ear
  • Other, please state
I Heart disease
 

  • Rheumatic heart disease, unspecified
  • Hypertensive diseases
  • Angina pectoris
  • Acute myocardial infarction
  • Atrial septal defect
  • Chronic ischaemic heart disease
  • Pulmonary embolism
  • Other pulmonary heart diseases
  • Nonrheumatic mitral valve disorders
  • Pulmonary valve disorders
  • Endocarditis
  • Myocarditis
  • Cardiomyopathy
  • Atrioventricular arrhythmia
  • Heart failure
  • Other, please state
I Cerebrovascular diseases
 

  • Subarachnoid haemorrhage
  • Intracerebral haemorrhage
  • Cerebral infarction
  • Stroke, not specified as haemorrhage or infarction
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Aneurysm and dissection
  • Raynaud's syndrome
  • Thromboangiitis obliterans [Buerger]
  • Arterial embolism and thrombosis
  • Phlebitis and thrombophlebitis
  • Haemorrhoids
  • Oesophageal varices
  • Varicose veins of other sites
  • Lymphadenitis
  • Hypotension
  • Other, please state
J Respiratory disease
 

  • Acute upper respiratory infections of multiple and unspecified sites
  • Influenza
  • Viral pneumonia
  • Bacterial pneumonia
  • Pneumonia due to other infectious organisms, not elsewhere classified
  • Abscess of lung and mediastinum
  • Pyothorax
  • Acute bronchitis
  • Acute bronchiolitis
  • Vasomotor and allergic rhinitis
  • Chronic rhinitis, nasopharyngitis and pharyngitis
  • Chronic sinusitis
  • Nasal polyp
  • Chronic diseases of tonsils and adenoids
  • Diseases of vocal cords and larynx, not elsewhere classified
  • Chronic Bronchitis
  • Emphysema
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Asthma
  • Byssinosis
  • Bronchiectasis
  • Pneumoconiosis
  • Hypersensitivity pneumonitis due to organic dust
  • Other interstitial lung disease
  • Adult respiratory distress syndrome
  • Pulmonary edema
  • Pneumothorax
  • Respiratory failure, not elsewhere classified
  • Other, please state
K Diseases of oral cavity, salivary glands and jaws
 

  • Dental caries
  • Gingivitis and periodontal diseases
  • Dentofacial anomalies [including malocclusion]
  • Stomatitis and related lesions
  • Diseases of tongue
  • Other, please state
K Diseases of oesophagus, stomach, duodenum and appendix
 

  • Oesophagitis
  • Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
  • Other diseases of oesophagus
  • Gastric ulcer
  • Duodenal ulcer
  • Peptic ulcer, site unspecified
  • Gastrojejunal ulcer
  • Gastritis and duodenitis
  • Dyspepsia
  • Other, please state
K Hernia, colon and intestine disease
 

  • Hernia
  • Crohn's disease
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Other non-infective gastro-enteritis and colitis
  • Vascular disorders of intestine
  • Paralytic ileus and intestinal obstruction without hernia
  • Diverticular disease of intestine
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Fissure and fistula of anal and rectal regions
  • Abscess of anal and rectal regions
  • Intestinal malabsorption
  • Other, please state
K Diseases of peritoneum, liver
 

  • Peritonitis
  • Alcoholic liver disease
  • Toxic liver disease
  • Chronic hepatitis
  • Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver
  • Cholelithiasis/Cholecystitis
  • Acute pancreatitis
  • Other, please state
L Skin, nail and hair disorders
 

  • Infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
  • Bullous disorders
  • Atopic dermatitis
  • Allergic contact dermatitis
  • Irritant contact dermatitis
  • Dermatitis due to substances taken internally
  • Pruritus
  • Psoriasis/Parapsoriasis
  • Urticaria
  • Erythema nodosum
  • Sunburn
  • Nail disorders
  • Alopecia areata
  • Hypertrichosis
  • Acne
  • Vitiligo
  • Other, please state
M Arthritis, arthrosis, systemic connective disorders, spine disorders
 

  • Bacterial arthritis
  • Reactive arthritis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Juvenile arthritis
  • Gout
  • Other arthritis
  • Polyarthrosis
  • Coxarthrosis
  • Gonarthrosis [arthrosis of knee]
  • Arthrosis of first carpometacarpal joint
  • Other arthrosis
  • Deformities of fingers and toes
  • Deformities of limbs
  • Deformities of spine including scoliosis
  • Disorders of patella
  • Internal derangement of knee
  • Pathological dislocation and subluxation of joint
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus
  • Systemic sclerosis
  • Polymyalgia rheumatic
  • Other systemic involvement of connective tissue
  • Spine disk disorders
  • Lumbago with sciatica
  • Low back pain
  • Other, please state
M Disorders of muscles, bones, synovialis, bursa, cartilage
 

  • Myositis
  • Calcification and ossification of muscle
  • Contracture of muscle
  • Chronic crepitant synovitis of hand and wrist
  • Bursitis of hand
  • Olecranon bursitis
  • Prepatellar bursitis
  • Other bursitis
  • Rotator cuff syndrome
  • Bicipital tendinitis
  • Calcific tendinitis of shoulder
  • Impingement syndrome of shoulder
  • Medial epicondylitis
  • Lateral epicondylitis
  • Other Synovitis and tenosynovitis
  • Osteoporosis
  • Osteomalacia
  • Skeletal fluorosis
  • Osteomyelitis - Osteonecrosis
  • Chondropathies
  • Other, please state
N Kidney, renal pelvis disease
 

  • Glomerular diseases
  • Renal tubulo-interstitial diseases
  • Obstructive and reflux uropathy
  • Nephropathy
  • Renal failure
  • Urolithiasis
  • Cystitis
  • Urethral stricture
  • Other, please state
N Male and female related disorders
 

  • Hyperplasia of prostate
  • Other disorders of prostate
  • Torsion of testis
  • Orchitis and epididymitis
  • Male infertility
  • Disorders of penis
  • Other disorders of male genital organs
  • Benign mammary dysplasia
  • Salpingitis and oophoritis
  • Inflammatory disease of uterus
  • Inflammatory disease of cervix uteri
  • Female pelvic inflammatory disease, unspecified
  • Inflammation of vagina and vulva
  • Endometriosis
  • Other disorders of female genital and reproductive organs
  • Abnormal menstrual cycle
  • Female infertility
  • In vitro fertilisation
  • Spontaneous abortion
  • Molar pregnancy
  • Elective abortion
  • Other, please state
O+P Pregnancy and labour
 

  • Oedema, proteinuria and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
  • Eclampsia in pregnancy, labour or puerperium
  • Excessive vomiting in pregnancy
  • Venous complications in pregnancy
  • Infections of genito-urinary tract in pregnancy
  • Diabetes mellitus in pregnancy
  • Malnutrition in pregnancy
  • Other specified pregnancy-related conditions
  • Complications of labour and delivery
  • Preterm delivery
  • Extremely low birth weight
  • Other low birth weight
  • Exceptionally large baby
  • Birth trauma
  • Congenital viral diseases
  • Foetal death of unspecified cause
  • Other, please state
Q After birth – child disorders
 

  • Congenital malformations of the nervous system incl. the brain
  • Congenital malformations of the circulatory system
  • Congenital malformations of the respiratory system
  • Cleft lip and cleft palate
  • Congenital malformations of digestive system
  • Congenital malformations of genital organs
  • Congenital malformations of the urinary system
  • Congenital malformations and deformations of the musculoskeletal system
  • Down's syndrome
  • Turner's syndrome
  • Klinefelter's syndrome
  • Other, please state
S Injuries
 

  • Injuries to the head
  • Injuries to the thorax
  • Injuries to the abdomen, lower back, lumbar spine and pelvis
  • Injuries to the shoulder, arm and fingers
  • Injuries to the hip and thigh
  • Injuries to the knee and lower leg, ankle and foot
  • Other, please state
Other health related outcomes
 

  • Lifestyle change
  • Quality of life/wellbeing
  • Sickness absence
  • Sleep
  • Work participation
6. Other Information
 

  • Alcohol
  • Anthropometry
  • Demographics
  • Education
  • Medical history
  • Physical exercise
  • Socioeconomic status
  • Smoking
Possibility for linkage to data registries/data enrichment via data linkage
 

  • Birth register
  • Cancer incidence
  • Disease specific clinical database
  • Employment status
  • Hospital discharge
  • Medication usage
  • Migration
  • Mortality register