Chapter 14: Correlational Studies

These flashcards cover critical terms and definitions related to correlational studies as outlined in the lecture notes.

Correlational Study

A research method that uses population-level data to look for associations between two or more measured characteristics across several groups.

Aggregate Data

Data that is grouped together, often used in correlational studies, consisting of statistics like the proportion of a population with a particular characteristic.

Ecological Study

A type of correlational study that explores environmental exposures and their associations with outcomes using population-level data.

Exposure–Outcome Pairs

The pairs of characteristics in correlational studies, where one is designated as an exposure and the other as an outcome or disease.

Ecological Fallacy

The incorrect assumption that individuals within a population follow the same trends as the overall population-level data.

Correlation

A statistical measure indicating the degree to which changes in one variable predict changes in another variable.

Pearson Correlation Coefficient (r)

A measure of the strength and direction of association that indicates how well two continuous variables correlate.

Coefficient of Determination (r²)

A statistical measure used to determine how much of the variability in one variable can be explained by its relationship with another variable.

Direct Age Standardization

A method applying age-specific rates from two or more populations to a standard population for fairer comparisons.

Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR)

A ratio comparing the number of observed deaths in a study population to the number of expected deaths based on age-specific rates in a standard population.