Categorisation of continuous risk factors in epidemiological publications: a survey of current practice.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Reports of observational epidemiological studies often categorise (group) continuous risk factor (exposure) variables. However, there has been little systematic assessment of how categorisation is practiced or reported in the literature and no extended guidelines for the practice have been identified. Thus, we assessed the nature of such practice in the epidemiological literature. Two months (December 2007 and January 2008) of five epidemiological and five general medical journals were reviewed. All articles that examined the relationship between continuous risk factors and health outcomes were surveyed using a standard proforma, with the focus on the primary risk factor. Using the survey results we provide illustrative examples and, combined with ideas from the broader

SUBMITTER: Turner EL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2972292 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature