Deck 20: Ethical and Professional Issues in Epidemiology

Question 1

What of the following is an obligation that researchers have with study participants?

A) Provide a financial incentive to participate in the study.
B) Provide free treatment for any condition the subjects have.
C) Communicate the study results clearly.
D) Enroll all family members of the participants if they want to be part of the study.
E) Provide free diagnostic procedures, even if those are not related with the study.

Answer 1

C
Researchers must communicate clearly with the participants the results of the study,including the identification of potential health risks that are found as part of the study.For example,if as part of the study it is found that exposure to A is associated with disease D,researchers must inform all participants exposed to A that they are at increased risk of D.

Question 2

One difference between epidemiology and other scientific disciplines,regarding the impact of their findings,is that

A) epidemiologic findings are not prone to falsification.
B) epidemiology is the only science that deals with humans.
C) epidemiologic findings have immediate policy implications for clinical practice and public health.
D) epidemiologic findings are not prone to misinterpretations.
E) epidemiologic findings are the easiest to understand.

Answer 2

C
Historically,epidemiologic findings have immediate implications for clinical practice and public health.The removal of the handle of the Broad Street pump in an effort to control a cholera outbreak is an example of that.Moreover,epidemiology,as any other scientific discipline,is prone to falsification and misinterpretation; therefore "epidemiologic findings are not prone to falsification" and "epidemiologic findings are not prone to misinterpretations" are incorrect.

Question 3

A challenge in epidemiologic research that explores the effect of race on cardiovascular disease is that

A) measuring race is hard because is a poorly understood concept and its validity is questionable.
B) measuring race requires DNA testing.
C) there are too many human races.
D) race is usually not associated with health outcomes.
E) cardiovascular disease is not well defined.

Answer 3

A
Race is a poorly understood concepts and its biologic validity is questionable.Race is often used to characterize individuals,but there is no biologic evidence of different human races.However,this construct is associated with health outcomes,potentially for socioeconomic differences between subjects characterized into different races.

Question 4

To abide with the ethical principle of autonomy,epidemiologic research requires

A) epidemiologists to provide financial incentives.
B) to obtain participant's consent before collecting any information.
C) to investigate only participants who are in excellent health.
D) share participant's information with any institution.
E) that only one researcher is able to access the data collected.