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Distorsioni («bias») in epidemiologia analitica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 October 2011

Walter A. Rocca*
Affiliation:
Studio Multicentrico Italiano sulla Demenza, Centro SMID, Firenze
*
Indirizzo per la corrispondenza: Dr. W. A. Rocca, Centro SMID, Via il Prato 58, 50123 Firenze. Fax (+39) 055-230.2914

Abstract

Riassunto

Questo articolo descrive i più comuni tipi di distorsione («bias») che si possono incontrare in studi di epidemiologia analitica. Le distorsioni vengono presentate in relazione al disegno degli studi di coorte o caso-controllo. Per questa ragione, nella prima parte dell'articolo, vengono brevemente illustrati i concetti elementari del disegno e la terminologia degli studi di coorte e caso-controllo. Vengono distinti due gruppi principali di distorsioni: le distorsioni df selezione (o di campionamento) e le distorsioni di misura (o di raccolta deirinformazione). Negli studi di coorte, la principale distorsione di selezione è quella dei non partecipanti allo studio; la principale distorsione di misura è quella del sospetto diagnostico. Negli studi caso-controllo, le principali distorsioni di selezione sono: la distorsione prevalenza-incidenza, la distorsione del ricovero ospedaliero e la distorsione dei non partecipanti; le principali distorsioni di misura sono: la distorsione del ricordo, la distorsione deH'informazione familiare e la distorsione del sospetto di esposizione. Alcune di queste distorsioni possono essere prevenute o minimizzate mediante appropriate strategic di disegno dello studio.

Parole chiave

distorsioni, epidemiologia, metodi, studio di coorte, studio caso-controllo.

Summary

This article describes the most common types of bias encountered in analytic epidemiologic studies. Bias is presented in relation to the design of cohort and case-control studies. Therefore, in the firstpart of the article, the basic design concepts and the terminology of cohort and case-control studies are briefly illustrated. Two major groups of bias are described: selection (or sampling) bias and measurement (or data collection) bias. In cohort studies, the most important selection bias is the non-respondent bias; the most important measurement bias is the diagnostic suspicion bias. In case-control studies, the most important selection biases are the incidence-prevalence bias, the admission rate (Berksonian) bias, and the non-respondent bias; the most important measurement biases are the recall bias, the family information bias, and theexposure suspicion bias. Some of these biases may be prevented or minimized by appropriate design strategies.

Type
Articoli
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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References

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