Chapter 11 Review Questions
Last update: 6/16/2011
�11.1 - �11.3 Cross-Sectional and
Ecological Studies
- Is "neighborhood crime
rate" a person-level or aggregate-level measurement?
- Farr derived a mathematical
model that was nearly perfect in predicting cholera rates. He used this model
to support the miasma theory of cholera transmission. Why was Farr off
base?
- Optional: Match the
term with its description.
Terms: integral variable, contextual variable, contagion
variable
Descriptions:
(1) An aggregate-level variable that derives from compilation of
individual attributes.
(2) An aggregate-level variable that affects virtually all members of a
group.
(3) An aggregate-level outcome variable that affects future occurrences.
- Figure 11.5 (p. 198) revealed
a positive association between hospital size and accidents rates. The
author attributed this to the lower quality social interactions at large
hospitals. Suggest an alternative explanation.
- True or False? Whether a
measurement is longitudinal or cross-sectional depends on the date of
occurrence in relation to the date of data collection.
- What are notiones vulgares?
- Table 11.5 (page 201) reveals
a positive association between psychosis and low SES and a negative
association between neurosis and low SES. Explain how biases might
explain these findings.
- Match the bias with its
description.
Biases: detection bias, reverse-causality bias, prevalence-incidence
bias
Descriptions:
(1) Long-duration cases contributed to cross-sectional "rates"
to a greater extent than short-duration cases.
(2) The exposure increases likelihood of diagnosis but does not cause the
ailment.
(3) The disease causes the exposure.
�11.4 Cohort Studies
- Explain why mortality rates
in open populations are not longitudinal.
- Explain how Frost's generational
cohort studies linked infectious and chronic disease epidemiology.
- Where is Framingham and why do we care?
- Who are Doll & Hill?
- Describe the difference
between a prospective cohort study and retrospective cohort study.
�11.5 Case-Control Studies
- Why are case-control studies efficient for studying rare
diseases?
- Why are case-control studies efficient for studying diseases
with long induction?
- This is the cross-product
ratio in a 2-by-2 table.
- Controls (in case-control
studies) provide estimates of the frequency of exposure of _______________
in the population.
- M/C (select best response):
The odds ratio from a case-control study is equal to a(n): [(a) incidence
(b) prevalence (c) rate ratio (d) rate difference].
- M/C: When there is no association
between the exposure and disease, the odds ratio in the population is
equal to (a) -1 (b) 0 (c) 1 (d) 100
Key