This study was presented in the February 16, 2016 NYTimes Science section: Tylen

Question

This study was presented in the February 16, 2016 NYTimes Science section:

Tylenol May Raise Asthma Risk

Taking Tyleol (acetaminophen) during pregnancy is associated with a slight increase in the risk for asthma in offspring, a new study has found.

Norwegian researchers used health data on 95,200 pregnant mothers between 1999 and 2008, and followed 53,169 of their children after birth.

After controlling for various health and behavioral characteristics, they found that prenatal exposure to Tylenol was associated with a 13 percent increased risk for asthma at age 3. The more Tylenol the mother had taken during pregnancy, the higher the risk.

The study, reported in The International Journal of Epidemiology, was designed to minimize the possibility that the increased risk was caused by an illness rather than the Tylenol itself. The association persisted whether the mother took the medicine for pain, fever, flu or any other respiratory tract infection.

"Based on this modest increased risk, there is no need to be concerned if a child has been exposed," said the lead author, Maria C. Magnus, of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. "It might be possible to limit the amount of Tylenol used, but mothers should not be afraid to use it when necessary."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 65 percent of pregnant women use Tylenol.

1. What do you think the hypothesis is?

2. What kind of design is it? (This could mean experimental vs. correlational OR longitudinal, cross-sectional, etc.)

3. What are the methods used? (this means what did they do - survey? controlled situation? observation?)

4. Who is the population (to whom do they hope to apply the data)?

5. How many subjects were involved?

6. If applicable, what is the independent variable and what is a dependent variable?

7. What were the results?

8. Do you agree with the conclusion drawn?

Explanation / Answer

1. The hypothesis of the study is if prenatal exposure to tyleol is associated an increased risk for asthma in offspring.
2. This is a longitudinal study as researchers observed the participants for a longer period of time.
3. The observational method was used in this study.
4. The study applies to new born children, about till the age of 3 years.
Please post the other questions separately as we are supposed to answer just one question or four sub parts of a question.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse T
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.