As a state epidemiologist investigating adverse health outcomes potentially connected to the smoke exposure coming from a local toy factory, I would want to conduct a historical prospective, or ambispective, cohort study.

Donnet Discussion

The type of Cohort study I was use to conduct further investigation within this concern using Retrospective Cohort Study. Retrospective Cohort Study makes the use of a historical data to determine exposure level at some baseline in the past; Using the follow up for subsequent occurrances between the baseline and the present is performed. The main reasons for the usage of Retrospective Cohort Study is the advantages it presents which are the short time period for significant amount of follow-up data. Using the information presented and using a follow-up, will help establish patterns and possible solutions for the problem presented and ways to possibly present solutions. Also the amount of of exposure data collected can be quite extensive and available to the investigator at minimal cost. The analyses based on the follow-up will be possible no matte how long the study takes.

Using the retrospective cohort studies will allow for retrospective study tests etiological hypotheses in which inferences about exposure to the putative causal factor or factors that are derived from data relating to characteristics of the persons under study of to events or experiences in the past. However, due to the size of the cohort and he disease population, several years could possible lapses before the analyses needed are founded which is the Retrospective Study, therefore using the alternative retrospective cohort study is the better study.

Friis, R. H., & Sellers, T. A. (2009). Epidemiology for public health practice. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Kyrah Discussion:

Good evening Professor and classmates,

As a state epidemiologist investigating adverse health outcomes potentially connected to the smoke exposure coming from a local toy factory, I would want to conduct a historical prospective, or ambispective, cohort study. This would be the most beneficial because it “makes use of both retrospective (to determine baseline exposure) and prospective (to determine disease incidence in the future)” (Friis & Sellers, 2021). I would also choose this type of cohort study because it is the most thorough collection of information spanning the greatest length of time to compile data for the investigation. Combining prospective and retrospective cohort studies provides the greatest detail of the exposure in the community, as well as assists in collecting information for future use.

There are, however, some limitations with this type of study. There is no way to determine without doubt that how far the exposure may reach, or exactly how many have been affected. It would need to include how long the factory has been operational, how long has the smoke been an issue, how many families and/or individuals have lived within the area that this problematic smoke reaches? What other lifestyle factors are present in those experiencing adverse health events that may have contributed to the adverse events whether exposed to smoke or not?

Friis, R. H., & Sellers, T. A. (2021). Foundations of Epidemiology. In Epidemiology for Public Health Practice (6th ed.). essay, Jones & Bartlett Learning.