Question

Epidemiology:

1. A researcher wants to know if there is an association between exposure to asbestos and mesothelioma (a type of cancer). Which of the following is/are the most appropriate epidemiological study/ies to analyze this association?

a. randomized trial

b. prospective cohort study

c. case-control study

d. retrospective cohort study

e. either case-control or retrospective cohort study

f. either randomized trial or case-control study

- Provide an explanation for your choice for your previous scenario.

  

2. A researcher wants to know whether a new medication for diabetes control is better than Metformin (a well known medication to control diabetes). He wants to evaluate and compare side effects of both medications, and levels of sugars at different times after medication intake. Which of the following is/are the most appropriate epidemiological study/ies to analyze this association?

a. randomized trial

b. prospective cohort study

c. case-control study

d. retrospective cohort study

e. either case-control or retrospective cohort study

f. either randomized trial or case-control study

- For the previous scenario, provide a brief explanation of the study design that you would use. For example in case of a case-control study, explain how cases and control would be selected. In case of a cohort study, you will explain how would you choose your cohorts. In case of randomized trials, explain how you would select your experimental group and your control group

Answer 1

1) CASE - CONTROL:

To study the association between the drug(treatment) and disease case control studies suits well.

Case-control designs are used to identify factors that differ between cases and controls, and that which may be interpreted as risk factors for the disease.

So to find association between exposure to asbestos and mesothelioma CASE CONTROL study are best.

In case control study we choose the cohorts not in random manner Since we cannot apply treatment to random individuals. Which makes the analysis complicated. In case control we cannot find Relative risk, instead we interested in finding Odd's-Ratio to find compare between the treatment exposed and non-exposed.

2) E) Either Case control or Retrospective Study:

In Some situation in comparing two drugs we may use wither Case control (keeping new drug in case and old drug in control) or Retrospective.

As we said earlier comparing of two drugs are not choose in random manner So we can find only the risk ratio.

The cohorts are studied even for years. till the increase in the incidence.