Causal interpretation of correlational studies - Analysis of medical news on the website of the official journal for German physicians.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Media frequently draws inappropriate causal statements from observational studies. We analyzed the reporting of study results in the Medical News section of the German medical journal Deutsches Ärzteblatt (DÄ).

Methods

Study design: Retrospective quantitative content analysis of randomly selected news reports and related original journal articles and press releases. A medical news report was selected if headlines comprised at least two linked variables. Two raters independently categorized the headline and text of each news report, conclusions of the abstract and full text of the related journal article, and the press release. The assessment instrument comprised five categories from 'neutral' to 'unconditionally causal'. Outcome measures: degree of matching betwee

SUBMITTER: Buhse S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5933791 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature