Epidemiology Pocket Guide
A Pocket Guide to Epidemiology
David G. Kleinbaum Kevin M. Sullivan Nancy D. Barker
A Pocket Guide to Epidemiology
David G. Kleinbaum Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University 1518 Clifton Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30322 USA dkleinb@sph.emory.edu Nancy D. Barker 2465 Traywick Chase Alpharetta, GA 30004 USA ndbarker@eathlink.net
Kevin M. Sullivan Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University 1518 Clifton Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30322 USA cdckms@sph.emory.edu
Library of Congress Control Number: 2006933294 ISBN-10: 0-387-45964-2 ISBN-13: 978-0-387-45964-6 Printed on acid-free paper.
C 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC All rights reserved. This work may not be translated …show more content…
The Big Picture – With Examples paper mill included five prominent cooling towers. The mill also had three paper machines that emitted large volumes of aerosol along the main street of town. Many people suspected that the cooling towers and or the paper mill were the cause of the outbreak, since they were prominent sources of outdoor aerosols where the legionnaire 's bacteria could have been located. Recall that the first methodologic issue is to define the study question of interest. Which of the study questions stated here best addresses the question of interest in this study? A. Was the paper mill the source of the Legionnaires Disease outbreak in Bogalusa? B. What was the source of the outbreak of Legionnaires Disease in Bogalusa? C. Why did the paper mill cause the outbreak of Legionnaires Disease in Bogalusa? D. Was there an outbreak of Legionnaires Disease in Bogalusa? The most appropriate study question is "B." Even though the paper mill was the suspected source, the study was not limited to that variable only, otherwise, it might have failed to collect information on the true source of the outbreak. Study Questions (Q2.7) In stating the study question, we identify the primary variables to be considered in the study. Determine whether each of these variables is the health outcome variable, D, an exposure variable, E, or a control variable, C: 1. Exposure to the cooling towers of the paper mill? 2. Exposure to emissions of the paper machines? 3. Age of subject? 4. Visited grocery store A? 5. Visited grocery store B? 6. Diagnosed with Legionnaires Disease? 7. Visited drug store A? 8. Visited drug store B? 9. Ate at restaurant A? The health outcome variable, D, indicates whether or not a study subject was clinically diagnosed with Legionnaires Disease during the three week period from mid to late October. The exposure variable is conceptually whatever variable indicates the main source of the outbreak. Since this variable is essentially unknown
David G. Kleinbaum Kevin M. Sullivan Nancy D. Barker
A Pocket Guide to Epidemiology
David G. Kleinbaum Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University 1518 Clifton Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30322 USA dkleinb@sph.emory.edu Nancy D. Barker 2465 Traywick Chase Alpharetta, GA 30004 USA ndbarker@eathlink.net
Kevin M. Sullivan Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University 1518 Clifton Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30322 USA cdckms@sph.emory.edu
Library of Congress Control Number: 2006933294 ISBN-10: 0-387-45964-2 ISBN-13: 978-0-387-45964-6 Printed on acid-free paper.
C 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC All rights reserved. This work may not be translated …show more content…
The Big Picture – With Examples paper mill included five prominent cooling towers. The mill also had three paper machines that emitted large volumes of aerosol along the main street of town. Many people suspected that the cooling towers and or the paper mill were the cause of the outbreak, since they were prominent sources of outdoor aerosols where the legionnaire 's bacteria could have been located. Recall that the first methodologic issue is to define the study question of interest. Which of the study questions stated here best addresses the question of interest in this study? A. Was the paper mill the source of the Legionnaires Disease outbreak in Bogalusa? B. What was the source of the outbreak of Legionnaires Disease in Bogalusa? C. Why did the paper mill cause the outbreak of Legionnaires Disease in Bogalusa? D. Was there an outbreak of Legionnaires Disease in Bogalusa? The most appropriate study question is "B." Even though the paper mill was the suspected source, the study was not limited to that variable only, otherwise, it might have failed to collect information on the true source of the outbreak. Study Questions (Q2.7) In stating the study question, we identify the primary variables to be considered in the study. Determine whether each of these variables is the health outcome variable, D, an exposure variable, E, or a control variable, C: 1. Exposure to the cooling towers of the paper mill? 2. Exposure to emissions of the paper machines? 3. Age of subject? 4. Visited grocery store A? 5. Visited grocery store B? 6. Diagnosed with Legionnaires Disease? 7. Visited drug store A? 8. Visited drug store B? 9. Ate at restaurant A? The health outcome variable, D, indicates whether or not a study subject was clinically diagnosed with Legionnaires Disease during the three week period from mid to late October. The exposure variable is conceptually whatever variable indicates the main source of the outbreak. Since this variable is essentially unknown