1. Chapter 17: Physical Activity Epidemiology Research
SFM 651:
Research Methods
Dr. Johnson

2. Why Quantifying the magnitude of health problems
Identifying factors that cause disease
Providing quantitative guidance for the allocation of public health resources
Monitoring the effectiveness of prevention strategies

3. Epidemiology
The study of the distribution and determinants of health related states or events in specific populations, and the application of this study to the control of health problems
Distribution = Frequency and patterns
Determinant = any factor that brings about change

4. Measures Frequency – number of times per week
Duration – time spent in activity
Intensity – difficulty of the activity
Dose – combination of all 3

5. types Questionnaires Interviews Equipment Accelerometers
Heart rate monitor
pedometers

6. Designs Descriptive Cross sectional Ecological
Relationship of basic characteristics
Age
Sex
Occupation
Cross sectional
Take people at different points
Ecological
Use existing data from the past

7. Designs Analytical Cohort Case-control
Casual links between exposure and mortality
Cohort
Follow up studies – over time
Case-control
Some have disease, some dont

8. Bias Systemic deviation of a calculated value from the true value
Changes in what the data actually say
Interviews
Observations
etc