Biomaterial Database

Combining data from multiple sources, with applications to environmental risk assessment. 2008

Louise Ryan

Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. lryan@hsph.harvard.edu

The classical statistical paradigm emphasizes the development and application of methods to account for sampling variability. Many modern day applications, however, require consideration of other sources of uncertainty that are not so easy to quantify. This paper presents a case study involving an assessment of the impact of in-utero methylmercury exposure on the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of young children. We illustrate how familiar techniques such as hierarchical modeling, Bayesian methods and sensitivity analysis can be used to aid decision making in settings that involve substantial uncertainty.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007360	Intelligence	The ability to learn and to deal with new situations and to deal effectively with tasks involving abstractions.
D008767	Methylmercury Compounds	Organic compounds in which mercury is attached to a methyl group.	Methyl Mercury Compounds,Compounds, Methyl Mercury,Compounds, Methylmercury,Mercury Compounds, Methyl
D003627	Data Interpretation, Statistical	Application of statistical procedures to analyze specific observed or assumed facts from a particular study.	Data Analysis, Statistical,Data Interpretations, Statistical,Interpretation, Statistical Data,Statistical Data Analysis,Statistical Data Interpretation,Analyses, Statistical Data,Analysis, Statistical Data,Data Analyses, Statistical,Interpretations, Statistical Data,Statistical Data Analyses,Statistical Data Interpretations
D003657	Decision Making	The process of making a selective intellectual judgment when presented with several complex alternatives consisting of several variables, and usually defining a course of action or an idea.	Credit Assignment,Assignment, Credit,Assignments, Credit,Credit Assignments
D004781	Environmental Exposure	The exposure to potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological agents in the environment or to environmental factors that may include ionizing radiation, pathogenic organisms, or toxic chemicals.	Exposure, Environmental,Environmental Exposures,Exposures, Environmental
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D015386	Hazardous Substances	Elements, compounds, mixtures, or solutions that are considered severely harmful to human health and the environment. They include substances that are toxic, corrosive, flammable, or explosive.	Biohazard,Hazardous Chemical,Hazardous Chemicals,Hazardous Material,Hazardous Materials,Hazardous Substance,Toxic Environmental Substance,Toxic Substances, Environmental,Biohazards,Chemicals, Hazardous,Environmental Substances, Toxic,Toxic Environmental Substances,Chemical, Hazardous,Environmental Substance, Toxic,Environmental Toxic Substances,Material, Hazardous,Materials, Hazardous,Substance, Hazardous,Substance, Toxic Environmental,Substances, Environmental Toxic,Substances, Hazardous,Substances, Toxic Environmental
D018570	Risk Assessment	The qualitative or quantitative estimation of the likelihood of adverse effects that may result from exposure to specified health hazards or from the absence of beneficial influences. (Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 1988)	Assessment, Risk,Benefit-Risk Assessment,Risk Analysis,Risk-Benefit Assessment,Health Risk Assessment,Risks and Benefits,Analysis, Risk,Assessment, Benefit-Risk,Assessment, Health Risk,Assessment, Risk-Benefit,Benefit Risk Assessment,Benefit-Risk Assessments,Benefits and Risks,Health Risk Assessments,Risk Analyses,Risk Assessment, Health,Risk Assessments,Risk Benefit Assessment,Risk-Benefit Assessments
D035501	Uncertainty	The condition in which reasonable knowledge regarding risks, benefits, or the future is not available.