Writers Den

PUBH 6033—Week
1 Assignment

Worksheet: Study Designs

(Rubric
included)

Carefully read each scenario below. Then identify the study design used (choose from
case study/case series, cross-sectional, cohort, case-control, or experimental)
and classify
each study variable as quantitative, ordinal, or categorical.

Scenario 1:

A study was conducted in which healthy women (aged 35 to 55) received
either a new blood pressure medication or a placebo pill for 5 months. The results indicated that those women who
took the actual medication experienced a significantly greater decrease in systolic
blood pressure (average decrease = 17 mm Hg) as compared to those who took the
placebo (average decrease = 2 mm Hg).

Coding for study variables:

·
MED— 1 = medication;
2= placebo

·
SBP—
systolic blood pressure [mm Hg (millimeters of mercury)]

Question	Type answer below	Score (to be entered by instructor
1. What study design was used in this scenario?	____________________	____ / 4 points
2. What type of variable is MED?	____________________	____ / 2 points
3. What type of variable is SBP?	____________________	____ / 2 points

Scenario 2:

A researcher is interested in
assessing college students’ level of involvement with binge-drinking andperceived risk for negative consequences related to such.
Data is gathered by having students complete a questionnaire.

Coding for study variables:

·
FREQ
frequency— total days/mo. typically binge drink

·
RISK—1 =
very low risk; 2 =low risk; 3 = moderate risk; 4 = high risk; 5 = very high
risk

Question	Type answer below	Score (to be entered by instructor
4. What study design was used in this scenario?	____________________	____ / 4 points
5. What type of variable is FREQ?	____________________	____ / 2 points
6. What type of variable is RISK?	____________________	____ / 2 points

-Continued
next page-

Scenario 3:

The British Doctors Study of the 1950s was the first study to show
a link between smoking and lung cancer. In 1951, investigators recruited 40,000
British male doctors and then monitored them for 50 years. The
results indicated that many more doctors who smoked went on to develop lung
cancer than those who did not smoke.

Coding for study variables:

·
CIGS—total
number of cigarettes typically smoked per day

·
CANCER—1 = yes;
2 = no

Question	Type answer below	Score (to be entered by instructor
7. What study design was used in this scenario?	____________________	____ / 4 points
8. What type of variable is CIGS?	____________________	____ / 2 points
9. What type of variable is CANCER?	____________________	____ / 2 points

Scenario 4:

A study was conducted to determine if a walking
plus strength training exercise program results in a significantly greater
increase in aerobic capacity as compared to a walking only or a strength
training only exercise program.
Participants were randomly selected and then randomly assigned to one of
three groups— walking plus strength training, walking only, or strength
training only. Participants’ aerobic endurance
was assessed at the beginning of the study and, again, after 6 months of
exercise.

Coding for study variables:

·
EXERCISE—1=
walking and strength
training; 2 = walking; 3 = strength training

·
ENDUR—maximum
oxygen uptake (liters per minute)

Question	Type answer below	Score (to be entered by instructor
10. What study design was used in this scenario?	____________________	____ / 4 points
11. What type of variable is EXERCISE?	____________________	____ / 2 points
12. What type of variable is ENDUR?	____________________	____ / 2 points

Scenario 5:

A
study was conducted to determine if pesticide exposure increases the risk of
breast cancer in women.A total of 979 women aged 48 to 74 years with
primary breast cancer and 952 matched controls without breast cancer were
surveyed. Exposure to specific pesticides dating back 40 years was assessed.

Coding for study variables:

·
EXPOSURE—1
= yes; 2 = no

·
CANCER—1 =
yes; 2 = no

Question	Type answer below	Score (to be entered by instructor
13. What study design was used in this scenario?	____________________	____ / 4 points
14. What type of variable is EXPOSURE?	____________________	____ / 2 points
15. What type of variable is CANCER?	____________________	____ / 2 points

Section below (scoring) is to be
completed by Instructor

Scoring
for Week 1 Assignment—Study Designs(40
points)

Timeliness	Fully Met	Partially Met/Good	Partially Met/Fair	Not Met
Timeliness Indicators	Posted by the deadline	Posted 1 day late	Posted 2–4 days late	Posted 5 or more days late
Grade impact	No impact	10% reduction in overall assignment score	20% reduction in overall assignment score	0 points

Initial Score (40 possible points):

Timeliness Factor(late points deducted):

Total Score(40 possible
points):

Instructor comments: