Faculty & Staff

Judith E. Gold, ScD
Assistant Professor

Dr. Judith Gold is an epidemiologist and ergonomist. Her specialty is in occupational epidemiology, with a primary focus in work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). She is interested in using epidemiologic methods in conjunction with laboratory and clinical studies of potential physiological and psychophysical detection methods to characterize MSDs and their progression. She currently has funding from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to evaluate skin temperature in hands of office workers as a method for detecting upper extremity MSDs. She is also interested in job analysis techniques for ergonomic risk factors and interventions, including observational methods as well as bioinstrumentation. She teaches graduate level courses in chronic disease epidemiology, and in ergonomics in the Environmental Health program. She has served as a consultant for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and for the World Health Organization.

Education:

University of Massachusetts Lowell, Sc.D
University of Massachusetts Amherst, BSECE
Hampshire College, BA

Research Interests:

Epidemiology of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
Office ergonomics
Medical imaging for detection of MSDs
Computer use in youth
Instrumentation for exposure assessment
Ergonomics in developing countries
Biological modeling
Evaluation of ergonomic interventions

Selected Publications and Presentations

Gold JE, Punnett L, Cherniack M, Wegman DH. Digital vibration threshold testing and ergonomic exposures in automobile manufacturing workers: a cross-sectional assessment. Ergonomics, 48(1), p. 66-77, 2005.

Gold JE, Punnett L, Katz JN. Pain pressure thresholds and musculoskeletal morbidity in automobile manufacturing workers. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 79(2), p. 128-34, 2006.

Gold JE, Park J-S, Punnett L. Work routinization and implications for ergonomic exposure assessment. Ergonomics, 2006, 49(1):12-27.

Gold JE, Fulmer S, Tak S, Yuan L. Ergonomic hazards in automotive service technicians. Proceedings of the International Ergonomics Association Conference, July 2006.

Punnett L, Gold JE. Overview of work-related upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders; Carpal tunnel syndrome; Hand-arm vibration syndrome; Peripheral nerve entrapment syndromes; Tendinitis, tenosynovitis. In: Rest K, Weeks JL, Levy BS, Wagner GR, eds., Preventing Occupational Disease and Injury, (second edition). Washington DC: American Public Health Association, 2005.

Lahiri S, Gold JE, Levenstein C. Net cost model for workplace interventions. Journal of Safety Research, 36(3), p. 241-55, 2005.

Lahiri S, Gold J, Levenstein C. Estimation of net-costs for prevention of occupational low back pain: Three case studies from the US. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 48(6), p.530-41, 2005

Miranda, H, Gold JE, Gore R, Punnett L.  Recall of prior musculoskeletal pain.  Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health, 2006, 32(4):294-9.