Which of the following statements best describes the potential effects of confounding?
A)In the presence of confounding the adjusted RR will usually be lower than the crude RR
B)In the presence of confounding the adjusted RR will usually be closer to the null than the crude RR
C)In the presence of confounding the adjusted RR will usually be higher than the crude RR
D)In the presence of confounding the adjusted RR will usually be further from the null than the crude RR
E)In the presence of confounding the adjusted RR can be higher or lower than the crude RR

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Confounding can bias an estimate upwards or downwards, towards or away
from the null value.It is because of this unpredictability that special care is taken to
control for confounders when conducting a research study.Common ways to control
for confounding include: restriction, matching or randomisation (in RCTs) at the study
design stage, and stratification, direct or indirect adjustments and/or multivariable
analysis at the data analysis stage.If when the results are adjusted for confounders the
adjusted risk estimates differ from the crude estimates then confounding is present and
the adjusted RRs should be presented as they will be more accurate than the crude RRs.
[Note: this assumes that the variables adjusted for are confounders and not e.g.
intermediaries and that there is no appreciable effect modification.]

Which of the Following Statements Best Describes the Potential Effects