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Understanding Epidemiological Evidence

NCJ Number
151715
Journal
Trial Volume: 30 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1994) Pages: 46-52
Author(s)
M E Karns
Date Published
1994
Length
7 pages
Annotation
Before questioning an expert witness prepared to give epidemiological evidence in a toxic tort case, a lawyer should understand some basic issues related to epidemiological studies.
Abstract
Before questioning the witness, the lawyer should summarize the plaintiff's case, including a complete medical history, exposure information, dates and characteristics of extreme exposures, and life-style factors potentially related to the disease at hand. There are four major epidemiological study designs: cohort study, case-control study, clinical trial, and cross-sectional survey. Epidemiological research must consider confounding factors, population comparisons, exposure assessment, attributable risk rate, association evaluations, quality control, and causation. Lawyers using epidemiological evidence need to consider the strength of that evidence and the comparability of the plaintiff's situation to that of the study subjects. If the witness is asked for a medical opinion, the lawyer must know to what degree that opinion is based on epidemiological studies. 22 notes

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