How Does Interview Bias Affect Epidemiological Studies?
Interview bias can significantly distort the findings of an epidemiological study. It can lead to:
Misclassification: Incorrectly classifying participants as exposed or unexposed, or diseased or non-diseased, which can affect the measure of association between exposure and outcome. Confounding: When bias introduces an extraneous variable that is associated with both the exposure and outcome, it can confound the results, leading to incorrect inferences. Reduced Validity: The internal and external validity of the study can be compromised, meaning the results may not accurately reflect the true relationship or may not be generalizable to a broader population.
