PUBHLTH 1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: Publication Bias, Syphilis, Menopause
Document Summary
All epidemiologic studies have the advantage of studying humans rather than experimental animals; but all are also limited by that fact. Each study has own strengths and weaknesses. Randomized controlled trial - most rigorous form of intervention study. Problem - impossible to control the behavior of human beings under certain circumstances. Unrealistic to expect to succeed a randomized controlled trial that requires people to alter their behavior over significant time period. Cohort study - people don"t have to alter their behaviors. Problem - people aren"t randomly placed in groups. Other factors related to factor the experimenters want to control produce unreliable results. Case-control study - people most likely won"t remember past details in their lives, or might be self-conscious about their habits/behaviors to tell the truth. One of the most common reasons for study to lead to wrong conclusion is that the reported result is a random variation and that association is due to chance.
