The EXIMIOUS project has developed and deployed a novel method to assess occupational exposures in a diseased population. The ultimate aim of this method is to determine the exposure profile of patients, thereby promoting a better understanding of the impact of occupational exposure on the development of disease.

The basis for this method was the use of a comprehensive EXIMIOUS questionnaire containing questions about current and past jobs, lifestyle, and exposures in the home and in their spare time. Although the questionnaire is quite elaborate, the list of current and past jobs is still insufficient to determine the occupational exposure profile. This is where we enter the second phase of the exposure assessment in disease cohorts: the occupational exposure interview. The interview phase is completed upon having enough information to determine the exposure profile.