Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
3445626 Annals of Epidemiology 2006 6 Pages PDF
Abstract

PurposeIn case–control studies, when odds ratios estimate rate ratios or risk ratios, trends in odds ratios can reflect trends in incidence in the underlying population.Methods and ResultsIn this report, we use an empirical example and hypothetical data to compare two methods (“common referent” and “shifting referent”) for calculating odds ratios from case–control data across multiple exposure variables. With common referent methods, a single independent variable is constructed from the joint distribution of all exposure variables. With shifting referent methods, each stratum-specific trend has its own referent.ConclusionsUsing examples involving a single ordinal “trend” variable and a dichotomous “stratification” variable, we show that common referent odds ratios will reflect the pattern of incidence in the underlying population, whereas odds ratios calculated using shifting referent methods will not.

Related Topics
Health Sciences Medicine and Dentistry Medicine and Dentistry (General)
Authors
, ,