PHC 6001 Exam 2 Material questions
well answered already passed
What is the goal of epidemiological studies? - correct answer ✔✔To look for an association between an
exposure and a a health outcome; determine whether that association is causal
Descriptive Studies - correct answer ✔✔Uses existing data that is routinely collected; looks for disease
trends in populations
Analytical Studies - correct answer ✔✔Hypothesis-driven; looks for an association between
exposure/risk factor and health outcome; tests and intervention
What are the types of observational studies? - correct answer ✔✔Case-control; cohort; ecologic; cross-
sectional
In an observational study, the exposure was not chosen by the evaluator, they are simply observing
something already existing to see what happened
What types of studies are experimental studies? - correct answer ✔✔Randomized trials
The person doing the research controls the exposure and the treatment
What is the gold standard study for epidemiological research? Why? - correct answer ✔✔Randomized
trial
Because they include a control treatment or intervention for the treatment group and the comparison
group and participants are randomized to the groups
High status and validity and can pick up small, modest efffects
Most closely resemble controlled lab experiments
,What is a common issue with a randomized trial? - correct answer ✔✔Ethical; also cost
Cohort - correct answer ✔✔Group of people who have a characteristic or experience in common
What is considered the best observational study type? - correct answer ✔✔Cohort study
When are case-control studies used? - correct answer ✔✔When the exposure is unknown
Uses interviews, questionnaires, etc. to determine the exposure history of each group
Researchers look for patterns of high exposure to a certain risk factor among the cases vs. controls
When are experimental studies useful? - correct answer ✔✔Best for gaining knowledge about
preventing or treating disease
High validity study due to randomization
When are observational studies useful? - correct answer ✔✔Good for studying all exposures,
treatments, and preventions
Less validity because the researcher has less control over extraneous factors; no randomization or
controlled treatment
Cross-sectional Studies - correct answer ✔✔Looks at the risk and outcome relationship at a point in time
in a defined population
Quick and inexpensive; observational
, Does not give information on past exposures and relies on disease prevalence instead of looking at
incidence; does not divide in to exposed vs. unexposed
No temporal information about exposure and outcome
Does not have high validity
Ecologic Studies - correct answer ✔✔Observational
Looks at population level risk factors and health outcomes to determine exposure/outcome associations
Does not have high validity; not strong enough to determine cause
What is a potential problem of an ecologic study? - correct answer ✔✔Ecological fallacy: when you make
conclusions about individuals based on population data and the association may exist at the aggregate
level but not the individual level
What is the defining feature of an experimental study? - correct answer ✔✔The investigator assigns
exposure to study subjects
All analytical studies begin with ___________________. - correct answer ✔✔A hypothesis
Institutional Review Board - correct answer ✔✔Reviews study proposals to ensure that studies are being
carried out ethically
What is the Belmont Report? What are the components? - correct answer ✔✔Ethical principles and
guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research
Respect for persons (individuals are autonomous), beneficence (maximize benefits and minimize harm),
and justice (people should be treated equally with respect to opportunity to participate in research)
well answered already passed
What is the goal of epidemiological studies? - correct answer ✔✔To look for an association between an
exposure and a a health outcome; determine whether that association is causal
Descriptive Studies - correct answer ✔✔Uses existing data that is routinely collected; looks for disease
trends in populations
Analytical Studies - correct answer ✔✔Hypothesis-driven; looks for an association between
exposure/risk factor and health outcome; tests and intervention
What are the types of observational studies? - correct answer ✔✔Case-control; cohort; ecologic; cross-
sectional
In an observational study, the exposure was not chosen by the evaluator, they are simply observing
something already existing to see what happened
What types of studies are experimental studies? - correct answer ✔✔Randomized trials
The person doing the research controls the exposure and the treatment
What is the gold standard study for epidemiological research? Why? - correct answer ✔✔Randomized
trial
Because they include a control treatment or intervention for the treatment group and the comparison
group and participants are randomized to the groups
High status and validity and can pick up small, modest efffects
Most closely resemble controlled lab experiments
,What is a common issue with a randomized trial? - correct answer ✔✔Ethical; also cost
Cohort - correct answer ✔✔Group of people who have a characteristic or experience in common
What is considered the best observational study type? - correct answer ✔✔Cohort study
When are case-control studies used? - correct answer ✔✔When the exposure is unknown
Uses interviews, questionnaires, etc. to determine the exposure history of each group
Researchers look for patterns of high exposure to a certain risk factor among the cases vs. controls
When are experimental studies useful? - correct answer ✔✔Best for gaining knowledge about
preventing or treating disease
High validity study due to randomization
When are observational studies useful? - correct answer ✔✔Good for studying all exposures,
treatments, and preventions
Less validity because the researcher has less control over extraneous factors; no randomization or
controlled treatment
Cross-sectional Studies - correct answer ✔✔Looks at the risk and outcome relationship at a point in time
in a defined population
Quick and inexpensive; observational
, Does not give information on past exposures and relies on disease prevalence instead of looking at
incidence; does not divide in to exposed vs. unexposed
No temporal information about exposure and outcome
Does not have high validity
Ecologic Studies - correct answer ✔✔Observational
Looks at population level risk factors and health outcomes to determine exposure/outcome associations
Does not have high validity; not strong enough to determine cause
What is a potential problem of an ecologic study? - correct answer ✔✔Ecological fallacy: when you make
conclusions about individuals based on population data and the association may exist at the aggregate
level but not the individual level
What is the defining feature of an experimental study? - correct answer ✔✔The investigator assigns
exposure to study subjects
All analytical studies begin with ___________________. - correct answer ✔✔A hypothesis
Institutional Review Board - correct answer ✔✔Reviews study proposals to ensure that studies are being
carried out ethically
What is the Belmont Report? What are the components? - correct answer ✔✔Ethical principles and
guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research
Respect for persons (individuals are autonomous), beneficence (maximize benefits and minimize harm),
and justice (people should be treated equally with respect to opportunity to participate in research)
