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Epidemiology question The authors of a study looking at the effect of alcohol in

ID: 3054787 • Letter: E

Question

Epidemiology question

The authors of a study looking at the effect of alcohol intake on colorectal cancer reported an incidence rate ratio of 2.1 (95% CI: 2.05-2.31) when comparing heavy drinkers to light or nondrinkers. The authors of a second study examining the effect of green tea consumption on colorectal cancer reported an incidence rate ratio of 0.85 (95% CI 0.56-1.75) when comparing green tea drinkers to nondrinkers. How do you interpret the findings of both studies? Discuss the i) direction, ii) strength and iii) statistical significance for BOTH associations

Explanation / Answer

i) Heavy alcohol drinkers had 2.1 times the rate of colorectal cancer than non alcohol drinkers.

Green tea drinkers had 0.85 times rate of of colorectal cancer than non green tea drinkers.

ii) IRR=2.1 implies there is string association between alcohol intake and colorectal cancer

IRR=0.85 implies there is weak negative association between Green tea and colorectal cancer.