A cohort study may be of some interest. But, as the article points out, there are a lot of snags along the way. In addition to the impossibility of knowing or taking into account all the possible confounding factors, the accuracy of much of the data that is analyzed can be very unreliable. For example, a lot of the disease incidence numbers may be taken from death certificates where the accuracy is often highly questionable. In my field of cardiovascular disease these studies have generated endless lists of risk factors and, as a result, research has been largely mired in blind alleys for decades. Most risk factors are unmeasurable---diet, exercise or lack thereof, stress, etc.---or cannot be changed such as sex or family history. As long as cardiovascular research is stuck in the risk factor paradigm we will continue to get nowhere. But this is unlikely to change as these studies provide endless opportunities for getting research grants and furthering the careers of the researchers.
I am really enjoying this / some re-education, more new ways of looking at cohorts! And to this day, I can’t hear “Cold Turkey” by John Lennon without thinking of high opioid prescribers.
A cohort study may be of some interest. But, as the article points out, there are a lot of snags along the way. In addition to the impossibility of knowing or taking into account all the possible confounding factors, the accuracy of much of the data that is analyzed can be very unreliable. For example, a lot of the disease incidence numbers may be taken from death certificates where the accuracy is often highly questionable. In my field of cardiovascular disease these studies have generated endless lists of risk factors and, as a result, research has been largely mired in blind alleys for decades. Most risk factors are unmeasurable---diet, exercise or lack thereof, stress, etc.---or cannot be changed such as sex or family history. As long as cardiovascular research is stuck in the risk factor paradigm we will continue to get nowhere. But this is unlikely to change as these studies provide endless opportunities for getting research grants and furthering the careers of the researchers.
Interesting. Thanks.
I am really enjoying this / some re-education, more new ways of looking at cohorts! And to this day, I can’t hear “Cold Turkey” by John Lennon without thinking of high opioid prescribers.