Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Bias in Epidemiological Studies01:29

Bias in Epidemiological Studies

Biases can arise at various stages of research, from study design and data collection to analysis and interpretation. Recognizing and addressing these biases is essential to ensure the validity and reliability of epidemiological findings.Broadly speaking, biases in epidemiology fall into three main categories: selection bias, information bias, and confounding. A more detailed description of possible biases is:
Investigation of Disease Outbreaks01:23

Investigation of Disease Outbreaks

Multistate foodborne outbreaks pose significant public health risks and require meticulous investigation to identify sources and implement control measures. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) utilizes a dynamic seven-step process for these investigations, integrating data from laboratories, interviews, and environmental assessments to protect public health.Outbreak Detection: The detection of multistate outbreaks typically begins with PulseNet, the CDC's national laboratory...
Steps in Outbreak Investigation01:18

Steps in Outbreak Investigation

In the ever-evolving field of public health, statistical analysis serves as a cornerstone for understanding and managing disease outbreaks. By leveraging various statistical tools, health professionals can predict potential outbreaks, analyze ongoing situations, and devise effective responses to mitigate impact. For that to happen, there are a few possible stages of the analysis:
Confounding in Epidemiological Studies01:27

Confounding in Epidemiological Studies

Confounding in statistical epidemiology represents a pivotal challenge, referring to the distortion in the perceived relationship between an exposure and an outcome due to the presence of a third variable, known as a confounder. This variable is associated with both the exposure and the outcome but is not a direct link in their causal chain. Its presence can lead to erroneous interpretations of the exposure's effect, either exaggerating or underestimating the true association. This phenomenon...
Ethics in Research01:56

Ethics in Research

Today, scientists agree that good research is ethical in nature and is guided by a basic respect for human dignity and safety. However, this has not always been the case. Modern researchers must demonstrate that the research they perform is ethically sound.
Introduction to Epidemiology01:26

Introduction to Epidemiology

Epidemiology, known as the cornerstone of public health, involves studying the distribution and determinants of health-related events in defined populations and applying these insights to control health issues. This is essential for understanding how diseases spread, identifying populations at greater risk, and implementing measures to control or prevent outbreaks. Epidemiology addresses not only infectious diseases but also non-communicable conditions like cancer and cardiovascular disease,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Response to Criticism of "Fine Particulate Matter and Total Mortality in Cancer Prevention Study Cohort Reanalysis".

Dose-response : a publication of International Hormesis Society·2018
Same author

Air Pollution and Mortality in the Medicare Population.

The New England journal of medicine·2017
Same author

Fine Particulate Matter and Total Mortality in Cancer Prevention Study Cohort Reanalysis.

Dose-response : a publication of International Hormesis Society·2017
Same author

Lifestyle and reduced mortality among active California Mormons, 1980-2004.

Preventive medicine·2007
Same author

Environmental tobacco smoke and coronary heart disease mortality in the United States--a meta-analysis and critique.

Inhalation toxicology·2006
Same author

Fine particulate air pollution and total mortality among elderly Californians, 1973-2002.

Inhalation toxicology·2005

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Evaluation of a Universal Nested Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction for the Detection of Lyssaviruses
08:10

Evaluation of a Universal Nested Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction for the Detection of Lyssaviruses

Published on: May 2, 2019

Defending legitimate epidemiologic research: combating Lysenko pseudoscience.

James E Enstrom1

  • 1University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. jenstrom@ucla.edu

Epidemiologic Perspectives & Innovations : EP+I
|October 12, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) shows a weak, inconsistent link to mortality, not a causal one. This defense upholds the scientific integrity of research challenging established claims.

More Related Videos

Standard Operating Procedure for Lyssavirus Surveillance of the Bat Population in Taiwan
07:55

Standard Operating Procedure for Lyssavirus Surveillance of the Bat Population in Taiwan

Published on: August 27, 2019

Postmortem Diagnosis of Rabies in Animals by the Updated, Multiplexed LN34 Real-Time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay
09:54

Postmortem Diagnosis of Rabies in Animals by the Updated, Multiplexed LN34 Real-Time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay

Published on: May 2, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Evaluation of a Universal Nested Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction for the Detection of Lyssaviruses
08:10

Evaluation of a Universal Nested Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction for the Detection of Lyssaviruses

Published on: May 2, 2019

Standard Operating Procedure for Lyssavirus Surveillance of the Bat Population in Taiwan
07:55

Standard Operating Procedure for Lyssavirus Surveillance of the Bat Population in Taiwan

Published on: August 27, 2019

Postmortem Diagnosis of Rabies in Animals by the Updated, Multiplexed LN34 Real-Time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay
09:54

Postmortem Diagnosis of Rabies in Animals by the Updated, Multiplexed LN34 Real-Time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay

Published on: May 2, 2025

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiologic research methodology
  • Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and public health

Background:

  • Critiques of epidemiologic research on environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and mortality have emerged.
  • Concerns exist regarding the scientific integrity and potential biases in ETS research.
  • The established narrative of ETS causing significant mortality has been widely accepted.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To defend the scientific integrity of epidemiologic research on environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and mortality.
  • To address and refute specific criticisms and alleged flaws in the research.
  • To challenge the widely cited causal relationship between ETS and excess annual deaths.

Main Methods:

  • Detailed analysis and defense of epidemiologic research methodology.
  • Re-evaluation of the underlying database and findings in comparison with other U.S. studies.
  • Addressing criticisms regarding research omissions and external legal/political challenges.

Main Results:

  • The research found no significant causal relationship between environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and tobacco-related mortality.
  • A weak and inconsistent relationship, rather than a strong causal link, was identified.
  • Findings align with other U.S. results, contradicting claims of 50,000 excess annual deaths.

Conclusions:

  • The research on ETS and mortality is scientifically sound and not fatally flawed.
  • Popular claims of a strong causal link between ETS and mortality are unsubstantiated.
  • The defense of legitimate research against ideological suppression is crucial for scientific credibility.