Epidemiology Design Strategies Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What type of study involves manipulation of the independent variable(s) by the investigator?

  • Non-experimental study
  • Analytic study
  • Non-randomized interventional study (correct)
  • Descriptive study

    • Which type of study is concerned with organizing and describing data by person, place, and time?

  • Ecological study (correct)
  • Case series
  • Observational study
  • Cross-sectional study

    • What type of study provides a snapshot of participants' characteristics at a single point in time without follow-up?

  • Cross-sectional study (correct)
  • Descriptive study
  • Analytic study
  • Case series

    • What is the main purpose of an observational study design in epidemiology?

    <p>To describe the population at risk</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which study involves the systematic review of common features among a small group of patients with similar diagnosis?

    <p>Case series</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of study design helps in determining cause and effect relationships?

    <p>Analytic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main characteristic of an observational (non-experimental) study?

    <p>Observation may be prospective or retrospective</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of a case study or case report?

    <p>Early detection of new diseases or epidemics</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In epidemiology, what does an experimental study design primarily involve?

    <p>Using controlled trials to determine exposure effects</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the importance of a well-thought-out study design before starting an investigation?

    <p>Determines the scientific value of the research study</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which branch of study design in epidemiology enables researchers to logically address research questions with minimal ambiguity?

    <p>Observational Study Design</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of a descriptive study in epidemiology?

    <p>Describing the population at risk</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the advantages of using ecological studies in epidemiology?

    <p>Useful for examining associations among health-related events</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why are ecological studies not useful for rare conditions?

    <p>The data measures are aggregates of individual level</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a major disadvantage of ecological studies in epidemiology?

    <p>Cannot be used to establish cause and effect relationship</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When are ecological studies typically used in public health research?

    <p>When large-scale comparisons are needed at the population level</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of confounding can occur due to ecological fallacy in epidemiological studies?

    <p>Confounding at the individual level</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which scenario would an ecological study be most useful?

    <p>Comparing health in populations across countries</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a disadvantage of the current standard of care study design?

    <p>Issues with randomization integrity due to various factors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In Design Strategies_Epi [VHWB-2023], what is a key characteristic?

    <p>Potential introduction of selection bias by the researcher</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of individuals are typically used in Field Trials?

    <p>Healthy individuals</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In Community Trials, how are communities used as units of study?

    <p>Intervention is applied to one community but not to others</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common issue faced in the current standard of care study design?

    <p>Problems with refusals, dropouts, crossovers, and non-compliance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of conducting initial investigation of measles rates?

    <p>Identify the population at greatest risk</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main focus of analytical studies like case-control and cohort studies?

    <p>Determining exposure factors related to outcomes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of a retrospective study in epidemiology?

    <p>To look in the past for possible exposures as risk factors</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What term is used to describe factors that affect the risk of a disease in epidemiology?

    <p>Exposures</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the benefit of matching controls with cases in epidemiological studies?

    <p>Reduces confounding bias by ensuring cases and controls are similar</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why are retrospective studies subject to information bias in epidemiological research?

    <p>As a result of recall bias and observer bias when collecting exposure data</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main outcome measure in epidemiological studies suitable for rare diseases and diseases with long latency periods?

    <p>Odds Ratio (OR)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In a 2 x 2 contingency table, how are the exposure and outcome typically listed?

    <p>Exposure listed in rows, outcome listed in columns</p> Signup and view all the answers

    For a study on the association between coffee drinking and pancreatic cancer, what does 'a' represent in the 2 x 2 contingency table?

    <p>Cases who drank coffee and developed cancer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of calculating Odds Ratio, what does 'b' represent in the 2 x 2 contingency table?

    <p>Controls who drank coffee and did not develop cancer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are contingency tables primarily used for in epidemiological studies?

    <p>To analyze relationships between exposure and outcome</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In a retrospective cohort study, exposure data may be inadequate because:

    <p>Confounding factors may not be well-documented.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does a relative risk (RR) value of greater than 1 indicate in cohort studies?

    <p>Exposure is associated with an increased risk of the disease.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is a prospective cohort study considered more efficient for diseases with long latency periods compared to retrospective studies?

    <p>It allows for good data on confounding factors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main outcome measure focused on in cohort studies?

    <p>Incidence of the disease</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A one-year cohort study on oral contraceptive use and bacteriuria in women aged 16-49 would primarily involve analyzing:

    <p>The impact of oral contraceptive use on the risk of bacteriuria.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does a relative risk (RR) value of 1 differ from values greater than or less than 1 in cohort studies?

    <p>RR = 1 indicates no association between exposure and disease.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of study design used in epidemiology is most prone to integrity issues with randomization?

    <p>Current Standard of Care</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What potential bias can be introduced when the choice of who receives the intervention is decided by the researcher in a study design?

    <p>Selection Bias</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which type of study design are healthy individuals typically used as units of study for assessing preventive agents?

    <p>Field Trials</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characteristic distinguishes Design Strategies_Epi [VHWB-2023] from the current standard of care study design?

    <p>Random Assignment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What key issue makes the current standard of care study design the most expensive and time-consuming?

    <p>Lack of Randomization Integrity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main advantage of randomization in a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)?

    <p>It eliminates selection bias</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In a Randomized Controlled Trial, what does the control group typically receive?

    <p>No treatment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of following groups prospectively in a study?

    <p>To determine the exposure effect on the outcomes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of having an 'exposed' group in a study design?

    <p>To study the effect of an intervention or exposure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does random assignment of participants help in a study?

    <p>To ensure homogeneity in groups</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the definition of bias in epidemiological studies?

    <p>A systematic error that results in a mistaken estimate of an exposure's effect on the risk of disease</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of confounding in epidemiological studies?

    <p>It introduces unmeasured third variables that influence the study outcome</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of matching participants in epidemiological studies?

    <p>To match participants based on variables that may impact the dependent variable</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does confounding impact the results of an epidemiological study?

    <p>It distorts the true relationship between exposure and outcome</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the potential consequence of not addressing bias in an epidemiological study?

    <p>An inaccurate estimation of an exposure's effect on disease risk</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Epidemiology Study Design

    • Research design is a "conceptual blueprint within which research is conducted" and a "framework that guides data collection and analysis"
    • It is a "systematic plan to study a scientific problem" that enables researchers to logically address research questions with minimal ambiguity

    Importance of Study Design

    • Plays a major role in determining the scientific value of a research study
    • Aids clinicians in practicing evidence-based medicine
    • Guides health promotion activities and helps health administrators make informed decisions regarding resource allocation

    Types of Study Designs

    • Observational Study Design (Non-Experimental)
      • Descriptive: describes population at risk, collects and analyzes data (Who? Where? When?)
      • Analytic: identifies and quantifies factors associated with disease or health event
    • Experimental Study Design (Interventional)
      • Randomized: exposure is manipulated by the investigator, and participants are randomly assigned to a control or experimental group
      • Non-Randomized: exposure is manipulated by the investigator, but participants are not randomly assigned to a control or experimental group

    Descriptive Epidemiology

    • Provides description of aspects of disease or health-related events in a population by person, place, and time
    • Concerned with organizing and describing data according to:
      • Person (Who) - identification of frequency of disease and those at greatest risk
      • Place (Where) - geographical extent of disease, reservoir of agent, and transmission of disease
      • Time (When) - reveals extent of problem in terms of when and whether disease is predictable

    Types of Descriptive Studies

    • Case Study/Case Report: a detailed report of specific features of a particular case (usually a single individual)
    • Case Series: a collection of cases studied, including a systemic review of the interesting and common features of a small group of patients with similar diagnoses
    • Cross-Sectional Study: conducted over a short period, gives a snapshot of the characteristics of participants at a single point in time
    • Ecological Study: used when data at an individual level is unavailable, or when large-scale comparisons are needed to study population-level effects of exposures on a disease condition

    Analytic Epidemiology

    • Concerned with identifying and quantifying factors associated with disease or health event
    • Deals with cause and effect
    • Types of Analytic Studies:
      • Case-Control Study: focuses on outcome to exposure, identifies factors associated with disease
      • Cohort Study: focuses on exposure to outcome, identifies risk factors for disease

    Case-Control Study

    • Case-Control Study: compares exposed and unexposed groups to identify factors associated with disease
    • Types of Case-Control Studies:
      • Retrospective Study: looks in the past for possible exposures persons might have had as a risk factor
      • Prospective Study: looks forward in time, selects participants based on exposure, and follows them to see who develops the outcome

    Cohort Study

    • Cohort Study: compares exposed and unexposed groups to identify risk factors for disease
    • Types of Cohort Studies:
      • Prospective Cohort Study: follows participants forward in time to see who develops the outcome
      • Retrospective Cohort Study: looks in the past to identify participants who were exposed or unexposed and sees who developed the outcome

    Experimental Study Design

    • Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT): considered the gold standard of study designs, participants are randomly assigned to a control or experimental group
    • Field Trials: used mostly for assessing preventive agents, healthy individuals are used as units of study
    • Community Trials: communities are used as units of study, intervention is applied in one community and not in the other

    Bias and Confounding

    • Bias: any systematic error in the design, conduct, or analysis of a study that results in a mistaken estimate of an exposure's effect on the risk of disease
    • Confounding: unmeasured third variable(s) related to the exposure of interest and outcome influence the result of the study

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    Related Documents

    Wk 3 - Design Strategies Used in Epidemiology PDF

    Description

    Test your knowledge on various design strategies used in epidemiology research, such as prevalence assessments and large-scale comparisons. Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of different study designs.

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