Reference no: EM132796294

Environmental Epidemiology Assignment

Title - Child Obesity And Proximity to urban Parks and recreational resources. A longitudinal cohort Study

1. Title - Is this an effective title? If so, why? Does it accurately reflect the "story" or main point(s) of the article? If not, suggest a new title.

2. List three pieces of background information that you feel are most important (authors include information that they want their readers to know before when reviewing the research). Why are these pieces of background information important to the study? If you thought background information was missing, state that. If you felt that some of it was irrelevant, state that.

3. What was the study objective (aim, goal, purpose)? Hint: This is often stated in the last paragraph of the introduction section.

4. Did the introduction section include information that convinced you that this study is needed? If yes, what? if no, was something missing?

METHODS

1. What study design was used (e.g., case-control, cohort, cross-sectional, ecologic)? Explain 3 strengths and/or weaknesses of this study design.

2. Define the study population (for example, residents in Springfield, nurses working night shift). If your study is a case-control study, who are the cases and who are the controls? If a cohort study, who is exposed and who is unexposed?

3. What data sources were used? How were outcome and exposure measured?

4. What are the exposure(s) of interest (list only primary exposures, not confounding variables)? This is sometimes called the independent variable. What are the outcome(s) of interest? This is sometimes called the dependent variable.

RESULTS

1. Summarize the main findings of the study (not more than 3 main findings).

2. What was the measure of effect? Provide the most interesting point estimate with confidence intervals. Is this an odds ratio (OR), relative risk (RR) or other measure?

3. Were any of the results statistically significant? If so, how could you tell? Do the authors use confidence intervals or p-values or both to convey this information?

4, Take a snapshot of a table or figure that best displays one of the main findings of the study and paste it into your response. Briefly explain (2-4 sentences) why this is an effective table or figure.

DISCUSSION

1. What implications do the findings have for public health practice?

2. What were the limitations of the study (usually found in the beginning or middle of the discussion section - please use your own words)? After reading the limitations, do you agree with the authors' interpretation of their findings?

Environmental Epidemiology Assignment - Journal Club Article Review

3. What are the recommendations for further study (this could be yours or the authors' (or both) but indicate which).

4. Apply at least three of Hill's Criteria of Causality to the exposure - outcome relationship evaluated in your study. Indicate whether these criteria support causality (or not). Below is a reminder of the criteria. Refer also to the Hill article in the required reading.