Biomaterial Database

[The difficulty of choosing a good control group in a retrospective study (author's transl)]. 1977

A J Tuyns, and O M Jensen, and G Péquignot

The choice of either hospital or population controls in retrospective studies is guided by rules implying underlying hypotheses. In a study on aesophageal cancer in relation to alcohol and tobacco consumption, two such control groups were available and were compared. It was found that some of the currently accepted assumptions relating to representativeness of cases or controls were verified but many others were not, particularly in hospital controls. These were found to give less correct estimates of drinking and smoking habits than those obtained from population controls. The limitations in the use of either type of controls is discussed, in relation to the purpose of the study concerned.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009790	Occupations	Crafts, trades, professions, or other means of earning a living.	Vocations,Occupation,Vocation
D011159	Population Surveillance	Ongoing scrutiny of a population (general population, study population, target population, etc.), generally using methods distinguished by their practicability, uniformity, and frequently their rapidity, rather than by complete accuracy.	Surveillance, Population
D011446	Prospective Studies	Observation of a population for a sufficient number of persons over a sufficient number of years to generate incidence or mortality rates subsequent to the selection of the study group.	Prospective Study,Studies, Prospective,Study, Prospective
D003710	Demography	Statistical interpretation and description of a population with reference to distribution, composition, or structure.	Demographer,Demographic,Demographic and Health Survey,Population Distribution,Accounting, Demographic,Analyses, Demographic,Analyses, Multiregional,Analysis, Period,Brass Technic,Brass Technique,Demographers,Demographic Accounting,Demographic Analysis,Demographic Factor,Demographic Factors,Demographic Impact,Demographic Impacts,Demographic Survey,Demographic Surveys,Demographic and Health Surveys,Demographics,Demography, Historical,Demography, Prehistoric,Factor, Demographic,Factors, Demographic,Family Reconstitution,Historical Demography,Impact, Demographic,Impacts, Demographic,Multiregional Analysis,Period Analysis,Population Spatial Distribution,Prehistoric Demography,Reverse Survival Method,Stable Population Method,Survey, Demographic,Surveys, Demographic,Analyses, Period,Analysis, Demographic,Analysis, Multiregional,Demographic Analyses,Demographies, Historical,Demographies, Prehistoric,Distribution, Population,Distribution, Population Spatial,Distributions, Population,Distributions, Population Spatial,Family Reconstitutions,Historical Demographies,Method, Reverse Survival,Method, Stable Population,Methods, Reverse Survival,Methods, Stable Population,Multiregional Analyses,Period Analyses,Population Distributions,Population Methods, Stable,Population Spatial Distributions,Prehistoric Demographies,Reconstitution, Family,Reconstitutions, Family,Reverse Survival Methods,Spatial Distribution, Population,Spatial Distributions, Population,Stable Population Methods,Technic, Brass,Technique, Brass
D004938	Esophageal Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the ESOPHAGUS.	Cancer of Esophagus,Esophageal Cancer,Cancer of the Esophagus,Esophagus Cancer,Esophagus Neoplasm,Neoplasms, Esophageal,Cancer, Esophageal,Cancer, Esophagus,Cancers, Esophageal,Cancers, Esophagus,Esophageal Cancers,Esophageal Neoplasm,Esophagus Cancers,Esophagus Neoplasms,Neoplasm, Esophageal,Neoplasm, Esophagus,Neoplasms, Esophagus
D005602	France	A country in western Europe bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel, the Mediterranean Sea, and the countries of Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the principalities of Andorra and Monaco, and by the duchy of Luxembourg. Its capital is Paris.	Corsica,Saint Pierre and Miquelon,Miquelon and Saint Pierre,Miquelon and St. Pierre,St. Pierre and Miquelon
D006753	Hospital Records	Compilations of data on hospital activities and programs; excludes patient medical records.	Records, Hospital,Hospital Record,Record, Hospital
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults