What is an Epidemiological Study?

There are different ways that medical studies are conducted. A common method is called an epidemiological study. Find out how good is the information and what conclusions are possible.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• scientific
• studies
• epidemiological

[AmadeusStatisitician]

There are no definite conclusions arrived in many epidemiology studies. However, if valid statistical analyses are performed and with a high degree of power; one can show relationships between,exposure variables,treatments and diseases etc. Nobody would call these conclusions, but they certainly can estimate and suggest much information for further study. Also, if no other information(or studies) available , it is perfectly reasonable to use epidemiological studies for personal health decisions.

[gchodak1]

@AmadeusStatisitician People can do anything they want, BUT, epidemiological studies do not prove cause and effect, which means using those studies to make health decisions can be right and it can be wrong and people should not be misled about the validity.

[gchodak1]

Sorry but no conclusions are justified based on these studies, they are only hypothesis generating.

[bimmachica]

There is certainly truth in many of the comments posted, but I would like to propose some alternative terminology. Instead of "correct," "conclusion," and "unreliable," consider two major tenets of epidemiological studies and outcomes: association and causality. An statistically significant association can emerge from an incredibly well-designed study, and perhaps be repeated with great success (and thus be reliable), but this does not prove causality.



[BananaProductions123]

@BananaProductions123 for CDC

[BananaProductions123]

This is the job i want.

[TitWarlord]

what i learned from this video: epidemiologists are blabbering fools, don't listen to them

[ericneedsU]

I don't think anyone here is ACTUALLY arguing. One side is saying you can't come to any conclusion because there is no scientific validation. The other side, agrees, saying however that a 100 to 1 correlation is enough to make a conclusion. Say for instance scientists then take it further and PROVE that eating red meat increases the risk of prostate cancer tremendously. Epidemiology is a science of observation, a tool we all use to survive.

[Zayin1993]

Thank you that was very informative! and now that I think of it alot of what I hear are epidemiological studies.