Defining representativeness of study samples in medical and population health research
Medical and population health science researchers frequently make ambiguous statements about whether they believe their study sample or results are representative of some (implicit or explicit) target population. This article provides a comprehensive definition of representativeness, with the goal o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2023-10-01
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| Series: | BMJ Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://bmjmedicine.bmj.com/content/2/1/e000399.full |
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| author | Priya Duggal Shruti H Mehta Jacqueline E Rudolph Yongqi Zhong Bryan Lau |
| author_facet | Priya Duggal Shruti H Mehta Jacqueline E Rudolph Yongqi Zhong Bryan Lau |
| author_sort | Priya Duggal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Medical and population health science researchers frequently make ambiguous statements about whether they believe their study sample or results are representative of some (implicit or explicit) target population. This article provides a comprehensive definition of representativeness, with the goal of capturing the different ways in which a study can be representative of a target population. It is proposed that a study is representative if the estimate obtained in the study sample is generalisable to the target population (owing to representative sampling, estimation of stratum specific effects, or quantitative methods to generalise or transport estimates) or the interpretation of the results is generalisable to the target population (based on fundamental scientific premises and substantive background knowledge). This definition is explored in the context of four covid-19 studies, ranging from laboratory science to descriptive epidemiology. All statements regarding representativeness should make clear the way in which the study results generalise, the target population the results are being generalised to, and the assumptions that must hold for that generalisation to be scientifically or statistically justifiable. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d0daabcd1839462583b59ed36db72f8e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2754-0413 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-d0daabcd1839462583b59ed36db72f8e2025-08-20T01:51:58ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Medicine2754-04132023-10-012110.1136/bmjmed-2022-000399Defining representativeness of study samples in medical and population health researchPriya Duggal0Shruti H Mehta1Jacqueline E Rudolph2Yongqi Zhong3Bryan Lau4Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USADepartment of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USADepartment of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USADepartment of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USADepartment of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USAMedical and population health science researchers frequently make ambiguous statements about whether they believe their study sample or results are representative of some (implicit or explicit) target population. This article provides a comprehensive definition of representativeness, with the goal of capturing the different ways in which a study can be representative of a target population. It is proposed that a study is representative if the estimate obtained in the study sample is generalisable to the target population (owing to representative sampling, estimation of stratum specific effects, or quantitative methods to generalise or transport estimates) or the interpretation of the results is generalisable to the target population (based on fundamental scientific premises and substantive background knowledge). This definition is explored in the context of four covid-19 studies, ranging from laboratory science to descriptive epidemiology. All statements regarding representativeness should make clear the way in which the study results generalise, the target population the results are being generalised to, and the assumptions that must hold for that generalisation to be scientifically or statistically justifiable.https://bmjmedicine.bmj.com/content/2/1/e000399.full |
| spellingShingle | Priya Duggal Shruti H Mehta Jacqueline E Rudolph Yongqi Zhong Bryan Lau Defining representativeness of study samples in medical and population health research BMJ Medicine |
| title | Defining representativeness of study samples in medical and population health research |
| title_full | Defining representativeness of study samples in medical and population health research |
| title_fullStr | Defining representativeness of study samples in medical and population health research |
| title_full_unstemmed | Defining representativeness of study samples in medical and population health research |
| title_short | Defining representativeness of study samples in medical and population health research |
| title_sort | defining representativeness of study samples in medical and population health research |
| url | https://bmjmedicine.bmj.com/content/2/1/e000399.full |
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