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Exposure-measurement error is frequently ignored when interpreting epidemiologic study results

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Abstract

Introduction

One important source of error in study results is error in measuring exposures. When interpreting study results, one should consider the impact that exposure-measurement error (EME) might have had on study results.

Methods

To assess how often this consideration is made and the form it takes, journal articles were randomly sampled from original articles appearing in the American Journal of Epidemiology and Epidemiology in 2001, and the International Journal of Epidemiology between December 2000 and October 2001.

Results

Twenty-two (39%) of the 57 articles surveyed mentioned nothing about EME. Of the 35 articles that mentioned something about EME, 16 articles described qualitatively the effect EME could have had on study results. Only one study quantified the impact of EME on study results; the investigators used a sensitivity analysis. Few authors discussed the measurement error in their study in any detail.

Conclusions

Overall, the potential impact of EME on error in epidemiologic study results appears to be ignored frequently in practice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Mayo Mail Code 715, 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Anne M. Jurek

  2. Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    George Maldonado & Timothy R. Church

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Department of Statistics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Sander Greenland

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  1. Anne M. Jurek
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  2. George Maldonado
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  3. Sander Greenland
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  4. Timothy R. Church
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Correspondence to Anne M. Jurek.

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Jurek, A.M., Maldonado, G., Greenland, S. et al. Exposure-measurement error is frequently ignored when interpreting epidemiologic study results. Eur J Epidemiol 21, 871–876 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-006-9083-0

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