Instructions: This assignment has two parts. PART 1 involves reading three research articles, and...

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Instructions: This assignment has two parts. PART 1 involves reading three research articles, and applying what you have learned about epidemiological measures and study design to answer a series of short answer questions. PART 2 requires you to consider several health issues and decide the most appropriate study design for investigating that health issue. Students are to log in to their Blackboard account and complete the assignment in the prescribed link on the Blackboard page. PART 1 The Whitehall study is a ground-breaking longitudinal (prospective cohort) study that clearly demonstrated the association between social determinants of health (the social gradient) and morbidity and mortality (cardiovascular disease) in a population of British civil servants (Breeze et al., 2001; Chandola et al., 2008; Marmot et al., XXXXXXXXXXRead these papers and answer the following questions. 1. What is the sampling frame for each phase of the Whitehall study (Whitehall I and II)? (5 marks) 2. How was disease risk assessed (both in data collection and analysis) in each of the three studies and why? (15 marks) 3. To what extent can the results of each of the three studies be generalised to other populations (include reasons for your answer)? (10 marks) 4. Would it be feasible to conduct a similar study in Australia using an existing cohort such as the 45 and up study cohort or the Australian Women’s longitudinal study cohort? Why or why not? (20 marks) PART 2 For each of the following scenarios identify the best study design to explore each health issue and explain your reason for choosing this study design. Include an explanation of advantages and disadvantages of using the selected study design and include any ethical considerations. Support your reasons with justification and referenced examples of research studies. 1. Causal relationship between lung cancer and smoking (10 marks) 2. Association between depression and binge eating in a population of obese adolescents and adults (10 marks) 3. Long term effects of detention on the mental and physical health of asylum seekers (10 marks) Relationship between folate supplementation during pregnancy and development of autism in offspring (10 marks) 5. Testing of a drug for use in elderly people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (10 marks)

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Health Care										 	          6
	
Health Care
Part 1
1. In the Whitehall study I, between the years 1967 and 1970 a study had been conducted over a male population of 19029.  An age group of 40 to 69 has been chosen in order to determine the risk factor of cardiovascular disease over the population. The sampling has been done by judging the personal as well as the professional life of the participants such as the employment grade, smoking status, respiratory symptoms, past medical history, etc. In the case of the Whitehall study II, the sampling had been done by selecting 10308 participants from 20 civil service departments. In this time the participants are being judged following their socioeconomic status, clinical examination along with the disease diagnosis status, and their ability to work and work stress risk. In all the cases of the sample selection, the employment grade and the age variation has been taken as a major part of the concern. 
2. The disease risk has been estimated through various parameters in all the cases of the study. The socioeconomic, personal habit status and age have been considered as one of the most important keys in the case of determining the participants' physical abilities. In all the three cases the participants have been chosen from different socioeconomic statuses such as administrative, professional, and executive and other various posts. Belonging from various personal as well as various working background the work stress and the mental health status is different. Hence the degree of risk also varies in the variation of the working environment. Apart from that the physical health status such as blood pressure, blood cholesterol level, respiratory symptoms, blood glucose level, smoking history, etc. have been recorded to measure the degree of risk. The physical and mental health status indicates the overall state of fitness of a human being and the daily activity is the main parameter to determine the fitness level. Hence all the working ability and physical health status have been considered as a risk assessment tool.
3. Throughout the overall set of discussions, it can be observed that the person with a lower grade had higher coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality rate. In the other cases also the mortality rate varies in various parameters.

Instructions: This assignment has two parts. PART 1 involves reading three research articles, and applying what you have learned about epidemiological measures and study design to answer a series of...

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