Exam 1 (First Two Handouts) Flashcards
The degree of confidence a researcher has that the changes observed in the dependent variable (clinical outcome) are because of the independent variable (treatment)
Internal Validity
The extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to other settings
External Validity
The outcome is a result of the treatment
Causality
Cause occurs before the outcome
Temporality
Plausibility of causation increases with the strength of the relationship
Strength
A linear relationship like a dose-response is observed
Biological Gradient
One-to-one relationship between cause and effect
Specificity
There should be a reasonable biological explanation/mechanism for the effect
Plausibility
The relationship should be explained by existing knowledge
Coherence
The effect is similar to those accepted phenomena as observed in preclinical trials
Analogy
It is the strongest evidence when the cause is controlled by the researcher and the effect is observed in randomly assigned subjects as in RCTs
Experiment
To describe a phenomenon
Descriptive
Provide casual interpretation of an existing phenomenon
Analytical
What are the five important elements (5 W’s) pertaining to a new disease or event:
-Who
-What
-Why
-When
-Where
-So What (later added as a 6th element)
Analytical studies typically involve this word (hint)
Causal
Prospective Studies
-data are collected after the study as individuals are followed
-researchers get to determine the variables and collect relevant data
-they are resource (time and cost) intensive
Retrospective Studies
-researchers go backward in time to determine the relationship between cause and outcome that has already occurred
-analyze existing data so they relatively require minimal resources
-researchers have no control over the variables needed and how they are defined and collected
What three things play an important role in choosing an appropriate research design?
-objective of research
-topic of research
-practical considerations
Experimental designs to test their research hypotheses are common in what type of research?
Basic
We see both experimental and observational designs in what type of research?
Clinical Research
What is the most commonly used experimental design?
RCTs
What are the commonly used observational designs are..
-cohort
-case-control
-cross-sectional
-case series
-case reports
What is the gold standard in evaluating the safety and efficacy of an intervention?
Randomized Controlled Trials
What are the TWO essential elements of RCTS?
-randomization
-prospective
However the elements of RCTs that increase the internal validity of study results also contribute towards restricting…
their external validity (generalizability)
The key element in observational studies is..
non-randomization of the independent variable of interest
Primary data technique examples
-interviews
-surveys
Secondary data technique examples
-medical charts
-medical claims
Involve a study of a single case of a new disease or manifestation
Case Report
Exposure and outcome are measured at the same point in time
Cross-sectional
Involve comparison of exposure status among individuals with the disease or outcome of interest (cases) and those without the disease or outcome (controls)
Case-control
Cases and controls are both identified from the same..
source population
Follow exposed and unexposed over a period until the development of outcome
Cohort
Cohort studies determine the incidence of the outcome among exposed and unexposed groups and therefore provide a measure of..
relative risk
There is no randomization involved in Cohort studies which makes it vulnerable to..
selection bias
Cohort studies can be divided into two types:
retrospective and prospective
Involve numerical or countable information to study research phenomenon
Quantitative Data
Involve words or textual information
Qualitative Data
The consistency and reproducibility of results
Reliability
Consistent when the same measurement instrument is used by multiple investigators
Reproducibility
Measures what is it intended
Validity