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Explain the role of analytical epidemiology.
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Analytical epidemiology focuses on discovering and describing relationships between risk factors and health outcomes.
What might a high relative risk indicate in an epidemiological study?
A high relative risk indicates that the exposure is strongly associated with an increased risk of the outcome, suggesting a potentially significant relationship.
Can risk factors be both modifiable and non-modifiable? Provide examples.
Yes. Modifiable risk factors, like smoking and diet, can be changed, whereas non-modifiable risk factors, like age and genetics, cannot be altered.
Give an example of a risk factor in health and its associated outcome.
Smoking is a risk factor, and lung cancer is an associated outcome.
What is the key difference between association and causation in epidemiology?
Association denotes a statistical relationship between a risk factor and an outcome, whereas causation implies that the risk factor directly causes the outcome.
What is a risk in the context of health?
Risk in health refers to the probability of an adverse event or outcome occurring as a result of certain behaviors or exposures.
Why is it often difficult to establish causality between a risk factor and an outcome?
It is difficult because many factors can influence the outcome, and often it's challenging to isolate the effect of the risk factor from other variables.
In what ways can changing behaviors reduce the risk of heart disease?
Changing behaviors such as adopting a healthier diet, increasing physical activity, and quitting smoking can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.
What is the definition of relative risk (RR) in epidemiology?
Relative risk (RR) is a measure used to compare the risk of a certain event occurring in two different groups.
What does a statistical relationship between exposure and outcome imply?
It implies that there's a numerical correlation between the exposure (e.g., smoking) and the outcome (e.g., lung cancer), though not necessarily causation.
How can controlling risk factors influence health outcomes?
Controlling risk factors can reduce the likelihood of associated adverse health outcomes. For example, reducing smoking can lead to lower lung cancer rates.
Why is it important to differentiate between relative risk and absolute risk?
Understanding the difference helps in accurately assessing and communicating the impact of interventions and the actual probability of adverse outcomes.
What does the term 'risky behavior' in health refer to?
Risky behavior refers to actions that increase the probability of negative health outcomes, such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, or poor diet.
How does relative risk reduction (RRR) differ from absolute risk reduction (ARR)?
RRR is the proportional reduction in risk between the control group and the treatment group, whereas ARR is the actual numerical difference in risk between these groups.
Describe how a contingency table is used in epidemiology.
A contingency table displays the frequencies of different outcomes across two or more groups, which helps in computing measures like relative risk and absolute risk reduction.
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