Note: This assignment was modified from one included in Essentials of Infectious

Note: This assignment was modified from one included in Essentials of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Manya Magnus, Jones and Bartlett Learning
Instructions: Below is an assortment of abstracts obtained from a literature search of different disease topics. Choose 4 of the 8 studies listed below. For each of the 4 studies, identify important aspects of the study design and how it was conducted (4 studies x 5 items x 5 pts each item = 100 total points). Describe each or respond to each item comprehensively and in detail. Specifically, for each study:
1. What is the epidemiologic study design?
2. (a) Identify the exposure(s) of interest (independent variables) and (b) the outcome(s) (dependent variables) of interest in the study.
3. (a) Suggest at least one possible bias (systematic error) that might be present in each study. Pay particular attention to how subjects were selected, and what information was gathered from them and how it was collected. (b) Explain specifically how this could introduce bias into the study.
4. (a) Suggest one or more possible confounding factors related to the data collected and analyzed in the study, and (b) explain how it/they might confound interpretation of the authors’ findings.
5. (a) Suggest at least one other epidemiologic study design that could address the same question(s), and (b) discuss the relative strengths and limitations of the other study design compared to the one actually used.