Deck 8: Cohort Research

Question 1

How are cohort studies different from experimental studies?

A) Cohort studies use smaller samples.
B) Cohort studies measure long-term outcomes.
C) Cohort studies do not employ random assignment to groups.
D) Cohort studies involve indirect comparison rather than direct comparison.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which statement best describes case-control studies?

A) They are in-depth studies of a single case.
B) They are studies in which control is exerted over the treatment individuals get.
C) They are studies in which a risk exposure is identified and the persons are followed to see how the disease or condition develops.
D) They are studies in which persons with and without a rare outcome are studied and then there is a backward look for risk exposures.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Cohort studies are a good way to study which one of the following phenomena?

A) The effects of social support on disease outcomes
B) The effects of risk factors on health outcomes
C) Outcomes associated with rare diseases
D) The effectiveness of interventions providing group healthcare counseling

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following statements most accurately describes a cohort study?

A) Persons are randomly assigned to groups and then followed to determine if they develop certain outcomes.
B) Groups of persons with different levels of risk are identified and then followed to determine if they develop certain outcomes.
C) Persons with rarely occurring conditions are matched with persons who don't have the conditions and their prior exposure to risk is examined.
D) Persons are randomly assigned to groups and then data is collected ex post facto to study certain variables.

Question 5

In the exemplar cohort study about smoking and bone healing after an orthopaedic surgery (W-Dahl & Toksvig-Larsen, 2004), which combination of strategies did the researchers use to check on the influence of potential confounding variables?

A) Eliminated persons with severe deformity and ran a healing profile analysis on those in the study
B) Compared characteristics profiles of the two groups and ran a multiple regression analysis that included variables they thought might affect healing
C) Had strict exclusion criteria and randomly selected patients for the study
D) Identified persons who had smoked for 25 years or more and ran t-tests to compare their healing outcomes to those who smoked less than 25 years

Question 6

In cohort studies, what is the main criterion used to form cohort groups?

A) Exposure to a risk factor
B) Demographic characteristics
C) Random assignment
D) Theory-based assumptions

Question 7

What is a frequent limitation of conducting a cohort study?

A) Lack of subject compensation
B) Need for mixed methods
C) Confounding variables
D) Low generalizability

Question 8

Which of the following is the source of confounding variables in cohort studies?

A) The researcher's decision regarding whom to ask to be in the study
B) The fact that the two groups may be different in ways other than the risk factor of interest
C) The researcher's choice regarding the outcome to study
D) The use of retrospective methods rather than prospective methods

Question 9

What information does relative risk (RR) provide?

A) Information about a group's baseline risk of an outcome
B) Information about a group's risk in comparison to another group's risk
C) Information about factors contributing to risk
D) Information about family member's risk for a recessive genetic condition