Epidemiological studies : a practical guide / Alan J. Silman and Gary J. Macfarlane.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Silman, Alan J.

Contributor:

Macfarlane, Gary J.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Epidemiology--Methodology.

Epidemiology.

Epidemiologic Methods.

Medical Subjects:

Epidemiologic Methods.

Physical Description:

xiv, 241 pages : illustrations ; 26 cm

Edition:

Second edition.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, UK ; New York, NY : Cambridge University Press, 2002.

Summary:

An accessible practical introduction to epidemiology in medical research.

Contents:

1 Scope of epidemiological enquiry and overview of main problem areas 3

1.1 What questions can epidemiology answer? 3

1.2 What are the major issues in conducting epidemiological research? 7

Part II Measuring the Occurrence of Disease

2 Which measure of disease occurrence? 13

2.1 Incidence 13

2.2 Prevalence 16

2.3 Choice of measure 17

3 Comparing rates: between and within populations 20

3.2 Standardisation 21

3.3 Comparison of rates over time 24

Part III Studying Associations Between Risk Factors and Disease

4 Which type of study? 31

4.1 The ecologic study 31

4.2 The migrant study 33

4.3 The cross-sectional study 35

4.4 The case-control study 37

4.5 The cohort study 39

4.6 Choice of study design 41

5 Which measure of association? 45

5.1 Relative risks 45

5.2 Odds ratios 47

5.3 Attributable risks 48

5.4 Precision of measures in association 49

5.5 Categorisation of exposures 49

Part IV Selection of Populations and Samples to Study

6 Studies of disease occurrence. I: Identification of the population 53

6.1 Representativeness 54

6.2 Access 55

6.3 Population data accuracy 56

6.4 Study size 57

7 Studies of disease occurrence. II: Assessing disease status in study populations 60

7.1 Approaches to measuring incidence 60

7.2 Use of diagnosed cases: retrospective review or prospective notification? 63

7.3 Defining cases with the catchment population approach 65

7.4 Use of cross-sectional population surveys to assess incidence 67

7.5 Approaches to measuring prevalence 68

7.6 Catchment population methods for measuring prevalence 69

7.7 Population surveys 70

7.8 Other (indirect) measures 71

8 Studies of disease causation. I: Selection of subjects for case-control studies 74

8.1 Recruitment of cases 74

8.2 Recruitment of controls 82

8.3 One or two control groups? 87

8.4 Matching 88

8.5 Study size 90

9 Studies of disease causation. II: Selection of subjects for cohort (longitudinal) studies 93

9.1 Retrospective or prospective study cohorts? 93

9.2 How should exposure be categorised? 95

9.3 Study size 97

Part V Information from Epidemiological Surveys

10 Collecting information 103

10.1 Interview or subject completing questionnaire? 103

10.2 How to formulate a questionnaire 106

11 Obtaining valid information 111

11.2 Sensitivity and specificity 112

11.3 Validity for variables that are not dichotomous 115

11.4 Possible approaches for independent validation 116

11.5 Misclassification 118

12 Repeatability 120

12.2 Study designs to measure repeatability 122

13 Maximising participation 128

13.2 Reasons for non-participation 128

13.3 Maximising participation in follow-up 132

14 Conducting a pilot study 138

14.1 Aims 138

Part VI Analysis and Interpretation of Epidemiological Data

15 Preparation of survey data for statistical analysis 145

15.2 Initial checking for completeness and accuracy 147

15.3 Linkage by subject of data from multiple sources 149

15.4 Development of a data coding schedule 149

15.5 Development of a computer database 151

15.6 Procedure for data entry 153

15.7 Checking for errors in entered data 154

15.8 Missing data 155

15.9 Recoding of entered data 156

15.10 Storage of data and data set 157

16 Introductory data analysis: descriptive epidemiology 158

16.2 Incidence rates 158

16.3 Prevalence (proportions) 160

16.4 Crude, age-specific and standardised rates 163

17 Introductory data analysis: analytical epidemiology 168

17.2 Effect measurement, interval assessment and significance testing 170

17.3 Analysis of case-control studies 171

17.4 Analysis of cohort studies 179

18 Confounding 188

18.2 Minimising confounding in study design 190

18.3 Conduct of study 191

18.4 Analysis 192

19 Bias 201

19.2 Major sources of bias 203

19.3 Selection bias 204

19.4 Information bias 209

19.5 Is an unbiased study ever possible? 212

Part VII Other Practical Issues

20 Ethical issues in epidemiology 215

20.2 Ethical approval 215

20.3 Ethical constraints in maximising response rate 216

20.4 Confidentiality and data protection 218

20.5 Detection of previously unrecognised disease 221

20.6 Consent 225

21 The costs of epidemiological studies 228

21.1 Costs versus design 228

21.2 Costing an epidemiological study 229

21.3 Possibilities for cost containment 233

21.4 Wasting resources 235.

Notes:

Includes index.

ISBN:

0521810973

0521009391

OCLC:

47756549

Online:

Publisher description