What is matching in epidemiological studies?
Matching is not uncommon in epidemiological studies and refers to the selection of unexposed subjects’ i.e., controls that in certain important characteristics are identical to cases. The matching procedure is often directed towards classical background factors such as sex and age.
What is an example of case-control study?
For example, investigators conducted a case-control study to determine if there is an association between colon cancer and a high fat diet. Cases were all confirmed colon cancer cases in North Carolina in 2010. Controls were a sample of North Carolina residents without colon cancer. The odds ratio was 4.0.
What is a unmatched case-control study?
The Unmatched Case-Control study calculates the sample size recommended for a study given a set of parameters and the desired confidence level.
What is matching in case control?
In a cohort study this is done by ensuring an equal distribution among exposed and unexposed of the variables believed to be confounding. In a matched case-control study, a case, affected by the disease, is matched with one or more individuals not affected by the disease, the controls.
What is a matched control?
The Matched Pair Case-Control Study calculates the statistical relationship between exposures and the likelihood of becoming ill in a given patient population.
What is a matched control group?
Matched groups refers to a technique in research design in which a participant in an experimental group being exposed to a manipulation is compared on an outcome variable to a specific participant in the control group who is similar in some important way but did not receive the manipulation.
What are the problems associated with matched case-control studies?
Misconceptions about the impact of case-control matching remain common. We discuss several subtle problems associated with matched case-control studies that do not arise or are minor in matched cohort studies: (1) matching, even for non-confounders, can create selection bias; (2) matching distorts d …
What is matching in epidemiology?
Introduction Matching is not uncommon in epidemiological studies and refers to the selection of unexposed subjects’ i.e., controls that in certain important characteristics are identical to cases. Most frequently matching is used in case-control studies but it can also be used in cohort studies.
What is an individually matched case study?
Individual Matching in Case-Control Studies In an individually matched case-control study, the population of interest is identified, and cases are randomly sampled or selected based on particular inclusion criteria.
Is it possible to over match in case analysis?
Matching Cases and Controls Although controls must be like the cases in many ways, it is possible to over-match. Over-matching can make it difficult to find enough controls. Also, once a matching variable has been selected, it is not possible to analyse it as a risk factor.