Correlating Risk Factors

• What is the difference between communicable and non-communicable diseases?

  Communicable diseases spread person to person
• What is a good example of a non-communicable disease?

  Lung cancer
• Why couldn't scientists experiment on humans to find lung cancer causes?

  It would be unethical to do so
• 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 happens
• What are carcinogens?

  Chemicals that damage DNA and increase cancer risk
• What is the relationship between smoking and lung cancer now accepted by scientists?

  Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer
• What is the potential problem with sampling in epidemiology?

  Samples may not represent the entire population
• Why is it important to avoid bias in sampling?

  To ensure accurate conclusions about the population
• What should a sample be to avoid bias?

  As large and random as possible
• What can we not do with a small or non-random sample?

  Draw conclusions about the whole population
• What are the key points regarding sampling in epidemiology?

  • Avoid bias in sampling
  • Use large and random samples
  • Small or non-random samples are unreliable
• What are the steps to determine risk factors linked to diseases?

  1. Identify potential risk factors
  2. Study patterns of disease
  3. Analyze correlations
  4. Establish causal mechanisms