Ecological

Question 1

Ecological
General info

Answer 1

Compares population on group-level data.

Uses
1. Variability of exposure is low or high
2. Implications for prevention or interventions are at population level

Type: Descriptive & Analytic

Question 2

Ecological
Advantages

Answer 2

1. Inexpensive, simple, quick if data collected
2. Generate hypothesis or initially testing one

Question 3

Ecological
Disadvantages

Answer 3

1. Cannot control for confounding at the individual level (Bias)
2. Cannot derive estimates of exposure or disease at the individual level
3. Cannot establish causality
4. Ecological Fallacy: True for a group is also true for each individual

Question 4

Ecological
Formula and interpretation

Answer 4

Pearsons r measures asscn between 2 continuous variables
* Linear relationship
* Strenght (Weak or Strong)
* Direction (Positive/Direct, Negative/Inverse)

Interpretation: Range from -1 to +1
* (-1) Perfect negative correlation (-0.60 strong, linear)
* ( 0) No correlation (-0.30 weak, not linear)
* (+1) Perfect positive correlation (+0.60 strong, linear)