Answer the following questions about epidemiology:
a.What data are included in the data source?
b.How are the data collected? How often are the data collected?
c.What types of research questions could be asked using the data source?
d.Generate one hypothesis that could be addressed using the data source.
e.What are the strengths and limitations of the data source?
This is an example:
The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program collects data on patterns in cancer incidence, mortality, and survival based on geographic and demographic backgrounds 1.
SEER statistics are collected annually from reporting systems in different states from medical records, death certificates, and laboratories on the patients’ background, with the severity, site, and diagnostic method of the cancer. Patients are followed often for survival information 1.
SEER can be used to ask research questions about the comparison between trends of cancer in different demographic backgrounds .
SEER statistics can address the hypothesis if bone cancer risks increase with aging, the elderlies have a higher incidence than younger adults.
A strength of SEER is that it collects data from representable geographic areas that cover 35% of the U.S. population. However, limitations of SEER data include unreported variables and underreported treatment data 2.
References:
Aschengrau, A., & Seage, G. R. (2020). Essentials of Epidemiology in Public Health (Jones and Bartlett Learning, Ed.; 4th ed.).
Jairam, V., & Park, H. S. (2019, May 29). Strengths and limitations of large databases in Lung Cancer Radiation Oncology Research. Translational Lung Cancer Research. Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://tlcr.amegroups.com/article/view/29070/html
