EPID600 (Fall 2009) module on
Data analysis and interpretation / causal inference


Instructions:
  1. Read: Aschengrau and Seage, ch. 15 - The Epidemiologic Approach to Causation

  2. Read the lecture slides and speaker notes or listen to the recorded lecture (links are in Blackboard).

  3. Read Matthias Egger, George Davey Smith. Meta-analysis: potentials and promise. British Medical Journal 22 Nov 1997;315:1371-1374. (UNC-CH: full text) - scroll down to page 1371.)
    Supplemental resources can be found at www.unc.edu/epid600/modules/120-DataAnalysis/

  4. Read :
    Stephen Moses, Francis A. Plummer, Janet E. Bradley, Jeckoniah O. Ndinya-Achola, Nico J.D. Nagelkerke, Allan R. Ronald. The association between lack of male circumcision and risk for HIV infection: a review of the epidemiological data. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, July-August 1994;21(4):201-210. (UNC-CH: full text))
        and
    Jayne Byakika-Tusiime. Circumcision and HIV infection: assessment of causality. AIDS and Behavior 2008;12:835-841. (abstract, UNC-CH: HTML full text), UNC-CH: PDF full text)

  5. Answer (all of) the case study questions. Write succinct answers that include a brief explanation or statement of support.

  6. (Optional, but earns credit) Submit the answers to the starred case study questions (numbers 1, 2, 3, 7, and 11 - see the class schedule for due date).

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