7312MED Epidemiology: Principles and Practices Assessment Two Questions T3 2024-25 | Griffith University

7312MED Assessment Two

Critical Appraisal (Total Marks: 35)

Read the paper by Colman-Phox et al. 2008(provided in 'Assignment 2 information' content area) carefully and answer the following questions in relation to the article. Referencing is required (especially for the provided reading) for this assignment. Please refer to the referencing (APA-7 style) instructions under 'Assignment 2 information'. 

1. What is the research question for this study? (1 mark) 
2. What is the outcome factor and how were cases identified? How was the outcome status verified? (3 marks) 
3. What is/are the study factor(s) and how was this/were they measured? (3 marks) 
4. What type of study design was used in this study (the actual study type)? Identify two key features of the study type presented in the paper. What is the study type that would give the highest quality of evidence for the research question, if sufficient resources were available? Please provide reasoning to justify your answer.(4 marks) 
5. Do the main findings (adjusted results) presented in Table 2 suggest any significant association between the study factor and outcome factor? Use the data of the main findings presented in the Table to explain your view.(4 marks)(HINT: Please focus on results presented in Table 2) 
6. Would selection bias have occurred in this study? Was it likely to have an effect on the results? How did the authors address potential bias in the study? Explain your reasoning briefly. (5 marks) 
7. Could information bias have affected the results in any way? Why? (or why not?) How did the authors address information bias? Explain your reasoning briefly. (5 marks) 
8. What are the potential confounders considered by the authors? How did the authors control for confounding factors? Based on the results, how have the confounding factors influenced the measured association between fan use and SIDS (please comment on the results in Table 3)? Explain your reasons briefly (5 marks). (HINT: Please focus on results presented in Table 3)
9. Which of the Bradford Hill's criteria (See Lecture 8) for evaluating causality are most likely to have been met in this study? Give one reason for each of your selected criteria. (3 marks) 
10. Are the results of the study internally and externally valid? Explain your reasons briefly. (2 marks)