Quiz 2, Module Case-control
2. Which of the following do you think are the best eligibility criteria for the cases? [Aschengrau & Seage, pp. 239-243]
- Cases should have been members of the Superfit Center in the last two years for at least 6 months (total) and consumed either EnduroBrick or Quench-It.
- Cases should be correctly diagnosed with Susser Syndrome and be employed at Glop Industries.
- Cases should be correctly diagnosed with Susser Syndrome and have been members of the Superfit Fitness Center for at least 6 months in the last two years.
Answer (a) —
incorrect:
It may seem obvious but it is important to state that cases need to have been correctly diagnosed with Susser Syndrome; additionally, we are interested in determining the exposure status and thus should not require that all cases had to have been exposed. Finally, it is important to separate two exposures and to consider their effects separately.
Answer (b) —
incorrect:
We are interested in possible exposures at the Superfit Fitness Center and not at Glop Industries. Therefore, employment at Glop Industries should not be among the eligibility criteria.
Answer (c) —
correct:
We want our eligibility criteria to be as specific as possible. You have already stated the desire to limit the study to Superfit members (which will make the selection of the control group easier...see below!!); it is crucial to incorporate time elements in our study design to ensure that our exposures of interest could be plausibly associated with the development of Susser Syndrome. Without these criteria we cannot proceed to statistical analysis of the suspected associations.
