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Biomedical subjects

R A Stallones

Publications and source records attributed to R A Stallones.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1987

The use and abuse of subgroup analysis in epidemiological research.

Most epidemiology involves the analysis of subgroups. In observational studies, identification of associations within particular subgroups is the usual method of investigation, while in experimental studies the purpose is to compare the rate of occurrence of the outcome of interest in treated and control groups. Problems can arise through failure to specify the subgroups of interest a priori and through examining large numbers of subgroups after the fact, i.e., through multiple testing. Rules for interpretation of findings in subgroups are suggested, and the value of the systematic application of criteria for judgement of the causal significance of any associations that may be observed is noted.

Classification↗
PubMed1985

Epidemiologic studies of obesity.

Epidemiologic methods quantitatively assess the relations between body weight and general or cause-specific morbidity and mortality. This research is especially difficult because of the complex interrelations between weight and diet, physical activity, cigarette smoking, blood pressure, diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and other conditions. The interactions are not easily summarized with available mathematical models. Weight may be either a dependent or an independent variable, according to the analysis. Epidemiologic studies of body weight are subject not only to biases of sampling and selection, but also marked difficulties in definition and measurement. There are variations of interpretation, sometimes even of the same set of data. However, epidemiology continues to uncover important information that is consistent across studies, and that may be used to formulate programs for disease prevention.

Body Height↗
PubMed1983

Epidemiology in occupational medicine.

Each of the research strategies employed in epidemiology has distinctive advantages and disadvantages related to costs, time required, sources of bias, kinds of risk assessments produced, and limitations on causal inference. Therefore each must be evaluated in the light of the needs and opportunities that characterize the disease problem addressed and the environment within which it occurs. Epidemiology has the major disadvantage that it requires illness and death as a base for research. However, many health and disease problems cannot be anticipated before illnesses have occurred, and epidemiological studies then represent the most efficient means of identifying hazardous substances and situations. Epidemiological analysis should be a routine responsibility of every major corporate medical department, including, at a minimum, a system of surveillance for morbidity and mortality that will draw attention to significant problems as they arise, so that more intensive research may be initiated and preventive measures taken as early as possible. Epidemiology should, therefore, be integrated with industrial hygiene, safety engineering, and toxicology as the bases of occupational health.

Epidemiology↗
PubMed1982

A review of the epidemiologic studies of toxic shock syndrome.

In response to case reports of toxic shock syndrome, six case-comparison studies were done in 1980. Early cases were predominantly in menstruating women, and the use of tampons was strongly associated with the onset of illness. Because of the widespread publication of this finding, the case-comparison studies had problems due to differential ascertainment and recall bias. However, the number of cases among women was so great and the relation with tampon use so marked that unreasonable assumptions are necessary if the results are to be attributed to these biases. The studies show the power of epidemiologic methods, even given the unfavorable circumstance of an uncommon condition, associated with a common practice. Although the absolute risk of toxic shock syndrome is small, tampon users have more than a tenfold excess risk of the condition over women not using tampons, and the use of tampons is an adequate explanation for the excess risk of women over men.

Epidemiologic Methods↗
PubMed1979

Significance of data collection. Viewpoint - academia.

The academic view of the collection of data relating to the health of workers must reflect a concern for the value of the data for research purposes. Most routine data systems do not provide information of research quality, and often are not appropriate or sufficiently detailed to allow specific hypotheses to be tested. the cost of serving research purposes in such systems is likely to be prohibitive. However, the monitoring of illness in groups of employees can and should serve as a most valuable research resource when viewed as a screening and detection mechanism. Therefore, a data collection system should be carefully designed with research needs in mind, so that it will be appropriately sensitive and consistent.

Epidemiologic Methods↗