Case-control studies and Bayesian inference.

Abstract

We outline the methods of Bayesian inference for applications to case-control studies. These methods appear as the natural way of making inferences, since much of the controversy that surrounds a specific case-control study is subjective. We derive conjugate prior distributions of exposure, posterior distributions of the ratio of the odds of being incident with a disease both with and without exposure to a potential causal agent, and convenient approximations. In particular, we show how one may carry out 'case-control studies' without necessarily having a control group. We illustrate these ideas with the data that first showed the relationship between in utero exposure to diethylstilbestrol and cancer of the vagina in young girls.

• Authors: M Zelen, R A Parker
• Journal: Statistics in medicine (Stat Med) 1986 May-Jun Vol. 5 Issue 3 Pg. 261-9 ISSN: 0277-6715 [Print] England
• PMID: 3738292 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Diethylstilbestrol

Topics

• Adenocarcinoma (chemically induced)
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Bayes Theorem
• Clinical Trials as Topic (methods)
• Diethylstilbestrol (adverse effects)
• Female
• Humans
• Probability
• Research Design
• Vaginal Neoplasms (chemically induced)