Question

True or False:

4) There is a potential of information bias in a clinical trial where the clinician who ascertains the outcome is aware of the treatment status of the participant being evaluated.

5) A confounding variable is a factor across which the association between the exposure and the outcome differ.

6) A cohort study was conducted to determine the association of physical activity and CHD in which the average age of the physically active group is 10 years younger than the average age of the inactive group. Age is a confounder given that the risk of CHD increases with age.

7) Systematic errors can be reduced by: minimizing the random error in the study and vice versa.

Answer 1

4) True. Information bias refers to a type of cognitive bias, where there is a tendency to seek more information, even when there is no actual need for it, and that information does not affect the course of action for the trial. In this statement, the clinician is already aware of the treatment status, and thus has more information than required which could lead to an information bias.

5) True, the confounder variable is a variable that affects the outcome, other than the intended act. it is something extra in the environment, that causes changes that weren't expected. The statement, therefore is true.

6) True, as mentioned before Confounding variables are the variables that affects the intended outcome. In other words its also known as the "third variable problem". Here the age, acts as a confounding variable.

7) False. Systematic errors, unlike random errors persist consistently throughout the experiment, and thus, just be reducing random error, cannot be tackled. Some ways in which the systematic error can be tackled are: reducing Zero-error, calibaration of the measuring instrument, etc.