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Chapter 2: Problem 32

The article "Gene's Role in Cancer May Be Overstated" (San Luis Obispo Tribune, August 21. 2002) states that "early studies that evaluated breast cancer risk among gene mutation carriers selected women in families where sisters, mothers, and grandmothers all had breast cancer. This created a statistical bias that skewed risk estimates for women in the general population." Is the bias described here selection bias, measurement bias, or nonresponse bias? Explain.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The bias described in this article is selection bias. This is because the study selected a group of women that doesn't represent the whole population, thus the results are skewed towards this selected group.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding types of biases

Selection bias is when the sample obtained does not represent the population intended to be analyzed, often due to a flawed selection process. Measurement bias involves errors in data collection, where some items are systematically measured incorrectly. Nonresponse bias occurs when respondents of a survey or study differ from those who do not respond, leading to misrepresentation.
02

Evaluating the scenario in exercise

In the exercise, it is mentioned that 'early studies that evaluated breast cancer risk among gene mutation carriers selected women in families where sisters, mothers, and grandmothers all had breast cancer.' The data used is from a selective group of women where breast cancer is higher due to familiar history. This certainly does not represent the general population.
03

Classifying the type of bias

Given this scenario where women in the study were specifically selected from families with a history of breast cancer, this introduces a bias in representation compared to a more generalized population. This is a clear example of selection bias, as the selection process is skewed and does not represent the entire population.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Understanding Selection Bias
Selection bias occurs when research participants are not representative of the broader population from which they're drawn. It's like choosing basketball players only from a family of tall people and suggesting they represent the height of average individuals鈥攖his would clearly overestimate the population's average height.

In the context of the exercise, the mention of studies focusing on women with a genetic predisposition for breast cancer from specific families introduces selection bias. Why? Because by only selecting participants with a strong family history of breast cancer, the study overlooks the broader population, which includes many women without such a family history. This choice skews the study's results and inflates the perceived risk for the general population. To combat selection bias, researchers should aim for a sample that accurately reflects the diversity of the whole population they're trying to understand.
Explaining Measurement Bias
Imagine if you tried to use a scale that always adds an extra 10 pounds鈥攏o matter who steps on it, they would appear heavier than they actually are. This is akin to measurement bias in statistical studies, where the data-gathering process has a systematic error.

Measurement bias leads to data that consistently misrepresents the true value of the variable being measured. For example, if a study uses faulty equipment to measure blood pressure levels, everyone's measurements might be off, affecting the study's conclusions about hypertension prevalence. Accuracy in measurement tools and procedures is crucial to avoid this type of bias and ensure data fidelity.
Nonresponse Bias Breakdown
Imagine sending out a survey about exercise habits, but only the fitness enthusiasts respond while the couch potatoes don't bother. The result? An overestimation of how active the population really is. This exemplifies nonresponse bias.

Nonresponse bias occurs when the responses received do not represent the views of the entire sample. It can significantly distort study findings, as those who do not respond may differ in key ways from those who do. Adequate follow-up, reminders, and ensuring the ease of response can help mitigate nonresponse bias and yield more accurate results that better reflect the opinions or behaviors of the entire group.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

A tropical forest survey conducted by Conservation International included the following statements in the material that accompanied the survey: "A massive change is burning its way through the earth's environment." 鈥淭he band of tropical forests that encircle the earth is being cut and burned to the ground at an alarming rate." "Never in history has mankind inflicted such sweeping changes on our planet as the clearing of rain forest taking place right now!" The survey that followed included the questions given in Parts (a)-(d) below. For each of these questions, identify a word or phrase that might affect the response and possibly bias the results of any analysis of the responses. a. "Did you know that the world's tropical forests are being destroyed at the rate of 80 acres per minute?" b. "Considering what you know about vanishing tropical forests, how would you rate the problem?" c. "Do you think we have an obligation to prevent the man-made extinction of animal and plant species?" d. "Based on what you know now, do you think there is a link between the destruction of tropical forests and changes in the earth's atmosphere?"

The article "Television's Value to Kids: It's All in How They Use It" (Seattle Times, July 6,2005 ) described a study in which researchers analyzed standardized test results and television viewing habits of 1700 children. They found that children who averaged more than 2 hours of television viewing per day when they were younger than 3 tended to score lower on measures of reading ability and short-term memory. a. Is the study described an observational study or an experiment? b. Is it reasonable to conclude that watching two or more hours of television is the cause of lower reading scores? Explain.

Consider the following graphical display that appeared in the New York Times: Based on the data summarized in the graph, we can see that students who have a high school GPA or \(3.5\) or higher and a combined SAT score of over 1200 have an \(89 \%\) graduation rate when they attend a "most selective" college, but only a \(59 \%\) graduation rate when they attend a "least selective" college. Give an example of a potential confounding variable that might explain why the following statement is not reasonable: If all the students that have a GPA of \(3.5\) or higher and a combined SAT score of 1200 or higher and that were admitted to a "least selective" college were moved to a "most selective" college, the graduation rate for these students would be approximately \(89 \%\).

Asthma is a chronic lung condition characterized by difficulty in breathing. Some studies have suggested that asthma may be related to childhood exposure to some animals, especially dogs and cats, during the first year of life ("Exposure to Dogs and Cats in the First Year of Life and Risk of Allergic Sensitization at 6 to 7 Years of Age," Journal of the American Medical Association [2002]: 963-972). Some environmental factors that trigger an asthmatic response are (1) cold air, (2) dust, (3) strong fumes, and (4) inhaled irritants. a. Write a set of questions that could be used in a survey to be given to parents of young children suffering from asthma. The survey should include questions about the presence of pets in the first year of the child's life as well as questions about the presence of pets today. Also, the survey should include questions that address the four mentioned household environmental factors. b. It is generally thought that low-income persons, who tend to be less well educated, have homes in environments where the four environmental factors are present. Mindful of the importance of comprehension, can you improve the questions in Part (a) by making your vocabulary simpler or by changing the wording of the questions?

An advertisement for a sweatshirt that appeared in SkyMall Magazine (a catalog distributed by some airlines) stated the following: "This is not your ordinary hoody! Why? Fact: Research shows that written words on containers of water can influence the water's structure for better or worse depending on the nature and intent of the word. Fact: The human body is \(70 \%\) water. What if positive words were printed on the inside of your clothing?" For only \(\$ 79\), you could purchase a hooded sweatshirt that had over 200 positive words (such as hope, gratitude, courage and love) in 15 different languages printed on the inside of the sweatshirt so that you could benefit from being surrounded by these positive words. The reference to the "fact" that written words on containers of water can influence the water's structure appears to be based on the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto who typed words on paper, pasted the words on bottles of water, and observed how the water reacted to the words by seeing what kind of crystals were formed in the water. He describes several of his experiments in his selfpublished book, The Message from Water. If you were going to interview Dr. Emoto, what questions would you want to ask him about his experiment?
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