Exposure-measurement error is frequently ignored when interpreting epidemiologic study results
Anne M Jurek1, George Maldonado, Sander Greenland
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Mayo Mail Code 715, 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. jurek@epi.umn.edu
European Journal of Epidemiology
|December 23, 2006
Summary
Exposure-measurement error (EME) significantly impacts study findings but is often overlooked. This review found that most epidemiologic studies fail to adequately address or quantify EME, potentially compromising result validity.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Biostatistics
- Research Methodology
Background:
- Exposure-measurement error (EME) is a critical factor influencing the accuracy of research findings.
- Interpreting study outcomes necessitates considering the potential impact of EME.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the frequency and manner in which EME is addressed in published epidemiologic research.
- To assess the extent to which researchers discuss and quantify the effects of EME on their results.
Main Methods:
- A random sampling of articles from leading epidemiology journals in 2001 and 2000-2001.
- Analysis of how mentioned EME was qualitatively or quantitatively discussed.
Main Results:
- 39% of surveyed articles completely omitted any mention of EME.
- Of the articles that did mention EME, only one study quantitatively assessed its impact using sensitivity analysis.
- Few authors provided detailed discussions of measurement error within their studies.
Conclusions:
- The potential impact of EME on epidemiologic study results is frequently disregarded in practice.
- There is a need for improved reporting and analysis of EME in epidemiological research to enhance study validity.
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