6 Assessment Questions 6 Discussion Boards Concepts of Epidemiology
UNIT IV ASSESSMENT
1. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of cohort and case-control studies. What is the main difference between the two?
Your response must be at least 200 words in length.
2. There are several steps involved in conducting experimental studies. If you were conducting an experimental study on the effects of a new drug that was created to reduce skin cancer, what type of design would you use, and why? Where would you begin, and how would you analyze the data? Your response must be at least 200 words in length.
3. Describe blocking and stratification in experimental study designs. What do they do? How are they used? Give an original example of each; find your example of each from a source other than your textbook. Your response must be at least 200 words in length.
UNIT VI ASSESSMENT
1. Explain the historical events that led to the creation of ethical codes of conduct such as the Nuremberg Code, the Declaration of Helsinki, and the Belmont Report. Your response must be at least 200 words in length.
2. Explain how adherence to the Nuremberg principles helps researchers to determine how the ethical conduct of research with human subjects is followed. Provide an example. Your response must be at least 200 words in length.
3. Describe the characteristics that make a disease appropriate for screening. Provide two examples of such diseases, and explain why they are appropriate. Your response must be at least 500 words in length
DISCUSSION BOARDS
1. Which of the three levels of planned prevention and control do you think is the most helpful when conducting your research? Support your reasoning.
2. Let's discuss the strengths and weaknesses of observational study designs. If you were responsible for identifying the cause of a new disease that researchers know little about, describe which study design you would use, and explain why. Respond to another student's choice of study, and identify whether you agree or disagree, and explain why.
3. Select an experimental study on a topic that is of interest in your local or surrounding area (provide a link/URL to your selected study). How did the study results affect your community, state, or family? Do you think the results could apply to any area or family?
4. It is important to reduce bias and confounding in research to obtain valid results. If you were the epidemiologist conducting research on the risk of stroke among women with varying numbers of children, what possible bias and confounding could you anticipate, and how would you control them?
5. What do you think could be the worst ethical scenario that could arise during epidemiologic research? Briefly describe your scenario, and propose a possible solution to it. Respond to at least one peer's suggested scenario and solution.
6. Now that you have a good idea of what causal relationships are and how they are determined, consider the scenario below.
You are an epidemiologist who is tasked with determining if there is an association between caffeine intake of pregnant women and lower fetal weight. Using Hill's guidelines for causality, discuss your decision of whether or not these factors have a causal relationship