How Can Incomplete or Inconsistent Information Affect Epidemiological Research?
The presence of incomplete or inconsistent information can have several negative impacts on epidemiological research:
Bias: Incomplete data can introduce bias, affecting the generalizability of the study results. Validity: Inconsistent information can undermine the internal and external validity of the research. Statistical Power: Missing data can reduce the statistical power of a study, making it harder to detect true associations. Confounding: Incomplete information on potential confounders can result in incorrect conclusions about the relationships between variables.