Epiville

Quizzes

Quiz 4, Module Ecological

4. How can all of this information be used to test your study hypothesis?

  1. I can cross-reference the three databases in such a way that I will know from which reservoir sector the Susser syndrome cases originated, the population size of that sector, and the average daily water use of that population.
  2. I can cross-reference the three databases in such a way that I will know the population size of each sector as well as the average daily water use.
  3. I can use the Water Works Department information to extrapolate the amount of water each individual in Epiville consumed in the recent past and then cross-reference these individuals with the Susser Syndrome registry.
Answer (a) — correct: By cross-referencing the databases with address/geographic location, we can compare the differences in Susser Syndrome incidence by reservoir use
Answer (b) — incorrect: This information does not provide information on the actual incidence of Susser Syndrome per sector. Without these data, you cannot test your hypothesis.
Answer (c) — incorrect: In an ecological study we are interested in population-based statistics and not individual-based statistics. Extrapolating population-level information to the individual-level is known as ecological fallacy.