Question

In the article, researchers evaluated links between playing golf and the risk of stroke, heart attack, or death. Golfing at least once a month may lower a person's risk of early death, according to new research presented on Wednesday at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2020.
The sport, a favorite of presidents from Woodrow Wilson and Calvin Coolidge to Barack Obama, and Donald Trump is a gentle activity, with very few opportunities for high-intensity exercise.
But the study, by researchers at the University of Missouri, found any activity that gets older adults active and socializing monthly, weekly or daily is enough to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack.
Researchers analyzed 10 years of data on 5,900 over-65-year-olds between 1989 and 1999, all of whom visited a clinic every six months.
They found that just 8.1% of the 384 golfers (people who golfed at least once a month) had strokes over the 10 years, compared to 15.1% of the non-golfers. Also, 9.8% of the golfers had heart attacks, compared to 24.6% of the non-golfers.
The results, the researchers said, are significant — but added it is also significant that golf is a sport that attracts wealthy people, who tend to have better healthcare and lower risks of strokes and heart attacks.
Some 25 million Americans play golf, which can reduce stress and offer an opportunity for regular exercise.
But that's not enough to satisfy the US Department of Health that they're getting real exercise: it is not on the government's list of sports that qualify as legitimate ways to work out.
Golf burns more calories than fishing or canoeing, but that is only for people playing without carts or caddies. It can even be played with a broken leg, as Tiger Woods did in 2009.
As such, golf has inspired fierce debates over whether it qualifies as a sport. Golf was even removed from the Olympic games for 112 years between 1904 and 2016.
"Golf isn't a sport; it's a skill much like bowling," lawyer Larry Atkins wrote in a controversial op-ed for The Chicago Tribune in 2002 after Tiger Woods won his third Masters. "It's an activity that older people take up when their knees go bad and they can't play real sports like basketball, baseball and football anymore."
For lead study author Adnan Qureshi, professor of neurology at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, the findings clearly show goal is beneficial.
The US Department of Health and Human Services Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans does not yet include golf in the list of recommended physical activities, Qureshi said. Therefore, we are hopeful our research findings could help to expand the options for adults to include golf.

1.   In the article, what two groups are being compared? (2 points)

2.   What are the response variables? How were they measured? (4 points)

3.   Calculate and interpret the difference of proportions for a) heart attacks and b) strokes (4 points)

Answer 1

1. The article is comparing the people who play golf to non-golfers.

2. The response variables or the dependant variables are "Registered Stroke" and "Registered Heart Attack" for the 5900 data points. The research is based on 10 years of data on 5,900 over-65-year-olds between 1989 and 1999, all of whom visited a clinic every six months. In a situation like this, variables with binary values are use-full for analysis, for instance, if a subject suffers from a heart attack during the period of observation, Registered Heart Attack=1 but if they do not, Registered Heart Attack=0.

3. Total people in the study=5900
    No. of golfers in this group=384
    No. of non-golfers=5900-384=5516

    a) Heart Attack:

No. of registered heart attacks among golfers= 9.8% of 384= 37.63=~ 38
No. of registered heart attacks among non-golfers= 24.6% of 5516= 1356.93 =~ 1357
Difference= 1357-38= 1319
Ratio=1357/38=~ 36

This shows that of the people observed in the study the number of non-golfers suffering from heart attacks was 36 times the number of golfers suffering from heart attacks.Also, 1319 more non-golfers suffered heart attacks than the golfers.

    a) Strokes:

No. of registered strokes among golfers= 8.1% of 384= 31.1=~ 31
No. of registered strokes among non-golfers= 15.1% of 5516= 832.92=~ 833
Difference= 833-31= 802
Ratio=833/31=~ 27

This shows that of the people observed in the study the number of non-golfers suffering from strokes was 27 times the number of golfers suffering from strokes.Also, 802 more non-golfers suffered strokes than the golfers.