Question

In: Statistics and Probability

Consider a study in which neurologists want to determine if taking an intravenous dose of vitamin...

Consider a study in which neurologists want to determine if taking an intravenous dose of vitamin C will reduce the amount of nerve pain reported by patients. Suppose that the study was narrowed to focus only on patients with the nerve disorder multiple sclerosis (MS). After study approval, the neurologists solicit volunteers who are patients with MS who are reporting pain. The participants are then randomly assigned to two groups, each having 20 participants.

Participants in Group A are administered intravenous doses of vitamin C, and their nerve pain is tracked. Participants in Group B are administered intravenous doses of saline (which has no active ingredients) and their pain levels also tracked. The patients are not told which of the two groups they are in; however, the nurses administering the IVs are aware of the group assignments. After a predetermined length of time, the amounts of pain reported by the separate groups are compared to determine if an intravenous dose of vitamin C will reduce the amount of nerve pain.

a. Identify the explanatory and response variables.

b. What is the treatment?

c. Which group is the treatment group and which group is the control group?

d. What is the purpose of administering saline to Group B?

e. Is this a single-blind or double-blind study? Do you think this is the best choice for this study?

Solutions

Expert Solution

(a)

Explanatory Variable: Intraveneous dose of vitamin C

Response Variable: the amount of nerve pain reported by patients

(b)

The treatment: (i) administering Intraveneous dose of vitamin C and (ii) administering Intraveneous dose of saline

(c)

Treatment group: Group A who are administered Intraveneous dose of vitamin C

Control Group: Group B who are administered Intraveneous dose of saline

(d)

The purpose of administering saline to Group B is to allow the researcher to minimize the effect of all variables except the independent variable. The control group receiving no intervention is used as a baseline to compare groups and assess the effect of that intervention.

9e)

This is a single blind study.We do not think this is the best choice for this study because in this study each participant is aware to which group he belongs and this knowledge will indirectly affect his response to the treatment, thus making the result unreliable.


Related Solutions

In a biomedical study with rats, a dose-response investigation is used to determine the effect of the dose of a toxicant on their survival time.
In a biomedical study with rats, a dose-response investigation is used to determine the effect of the dose of a toxicant on their survival time. The toxicant is one that is frequently discharged into the atmosphere from jet fuel. For a certain dose of the toxicant, the study determines that the survival time, in weeks, has a gamma distribution with α = 5 and β = 10. What is the probability that a rat survives no longer than 60 weeks?
A study was conducted in a particular place,to determine the effects of vitamin A deficiency in...
A study was conducted in a particular place,to determine the effects of vitamin A deficiency in preschool children.The investigators were particularly interested in whether children with vitamin A deficiency were at increased risk of developing respiratory infection,which normally causes death. 250 children were recruited in the study,and their age in years,gender(0=male,1=female),and whether they suffered vitamin A deficiency (0=no,1=yes) was recorded at an initial clinic visit (time 0).Also recorded was the response,whether the child was suffering from a respiratory infection (0=no,1=yes)....
A study was undertaken to determine if there is a difference, between taking the tunnel and...
A study was undertaken to determine if there is a difference, between taking the tunnel and taking the bridge, in the average time it takes for Canadians entering the US to be interrogated by US customs and border security officials. A random sample of 6 times was selected, with one Canadian car during each of those times also being randomly selected. The time spent being interrogated for each of those cars (in minutes) was recorded as follows:    Time period    ...
For Exercises determine whether an observational study or an experimental study was used. Subjects are randomly assigned to three groups. Group 1 receives a placebo daily, group 2 receives a high dose of vitamin B daily,
For Exercises determine whether an observational study or an experimental study was used.Subjects are randomly assigned to three groups. Group 1 receives a placebo daily, group 2 receives a high dose of vitamin B daily, and group 3 receives a multivitamin daily. After 3 months, each participant is asked how many incidents of depression that she or he had, and the occurrences were compared.
Is eating vitamin-fortified foods or taking vitamin supplements a harmless form of health insurance?
Is eating vitamin-fortified foods or taking vitamin supplements a harmless form of health insurance?
A study was conducted to determine if taking a popularly advertised herbal supplement will result in...
A study was conducted to determine if taking a popularly advertised herbal supplement will result in weight loss in obese males. A random sample of clinically obese males was obtained. Each subject was weighed before taking the supplement and again after 60 days using the supplement. Subjects were told not to alter their diet in any way during the study period. The following table shows the observed results for the 6 subjects: Subject 1 2 3 4 5 6 before...
Consider the experiments. Experiment 1: A study is done to determine which of two fuel mixtures...
Consider the experiments. Experiment 1: A study is done to determine which of two fuel mixtures allows a rocket to travel farther over a period of time. Rocket A, which requires additional equipment to keep it stable, is used to test one fuel mixture, and rocket B is used to test the other. Both rockets are identical aside from their mass. The results indicate that rocket B traveled farther than rocket A over the same period of time. Experiment 2:...
The provider gives K.N. a low dose of vitamin K orally, asks him to hold his...
The provider gives K.N. a low dose of vitamin K orally, asks him to hold his warfarin dose that evening, and asks him to come back tomorrow for another prothrombin time (PT) and INR blood draw. Why is K.N. instructed to take the vitamin K? You want to make certain K.N. knows what "hold the next dose" means. What should you tell him? K.N. grumbles about all the laboratory tests but agrees to follow through. What is potential S/S of...
A physical therapist claims that one​ 600-milligram dose of Vitamin C will increase muscular endurance. The...
A physical therapist claims that one​ 600-milligram dose of Vitamin C will increase muscular endurance. The table available below shows the numbers of repetitions 1515 males made on a hand dynamometer​ (measures grip​ strength) until the grip strengths in three consecutive trials were​ 50% of their maximum grip strength. At α=0.01 is there enough evidence to support the ​ therapist's claim? Assume the samples are random and​ dependent, and the population is normally distributed. Repetitions ​(using placebo) Repetitions ​(using Vitamin​...
The experiment is: analyzing food products for vitamin C. "Determine the amount of vitamin C (ascorbic...
The experiment is: analyzing food products for vitamin C. "Determine the amount of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in different food products by oxidation- reduction titrimetry." A student performed the experiment described in this module. She first standardized her DCP solution by preparing an ascorbic acid solution containing 46mg of reagent-grade ascorbic acid. Three 10.00mL samples of the ascorbic acid solution required an average of 25.7mL of titrant for the complete reaction. 1)calculate the mean molartity of the DCP solution. The...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT