Correlating Risk Factors

• What is epidemiology?

  Studying disease patterns to determine risk factors
• How did scientists link smoking to lung cancer?

  By studying lifestyle habits of individuals
• What correlation did scientists find between smoking and lung cancer?

  Positive correlation between smoking and lung cancer
• What does a positive correlation indicate?

  As one variable increases, so does the other
• What does correlation not prove?

  It does not prove causation
• What is a causal mechanism?

  A scientific explanation of how something causes an effect
• What are carcinogens?

  Chemicals that damage DNA and increase cancer risk
• What did scientists discover about cigarette smoke?

  It contains carcinogens that increase cancer risk
• What is the potential problem with sampling in epidemiology?

  Samples may not represent the entire population
• Why is a random sample important in epidemiological studies?

  To avoid bias in the results
• What is the relationship between smoking and lung cancer according to the video?

  Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer