TY - JOUR
T1 - Generalizability of epidemiological findings and public health decisions
T2 - An illustration from the Rochester Epidemiology Project
AU - St Sauver, Jennifer L.
AU - Grossardt, Brandon R.
AU - Leibson, Cynthia L.
AU - Yawn, Barbara P.
AU - Melton, L. Joseph
AU - Rocca, Walter A.
N1 - Funding Information:
Grant Support: The Rochester Epidemiology Project infrastructure is funded by the National Institutes of Health ( R01 AR030582 and R01 AG034676 ; Principal Investigator: Walter A. Rocca, MD, MPH).
PY - 2012/2
Y1 - 2012/2
N2 - Objective: To illustrate the problem of generalizability of epidemiological findings derived from a single population using data from the Rochester Epidemiology Project and from the US Census. Methods: We compared the characteristics of the Olmsted County, Minnesota, population with the characteristics of populations residing in the state of Minnesota, the Upper Midwest, and the entire United States. Results: Age, sex, and ethnic characteristics of Olmsted County were similar to those of the state of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest from 1970 to 2000. However, Olmsted County was less ethnically diverse than the entire US population (90.3% vs 75.1% white), more highly educated (91.1% vs 80.4% high school graduates), and wealthier ($51,316 vs $41,994 median household income; 2000 US Census data). Age- and sex-specific mortality rates were similar for Olmsted County, the state of Minnesota, and the entire United States. Conclusion: We provide an example of analyses and comparisons that may guide the generalization of epidemiological findings from a single population to other populations or to the entire United States.
AB - Objective: To illustrate the problem of generalizability of epidemiological findings derived from a single population using data from the Rochester Epidemiology Project and from the US Census. Methods: We compared the characteristics of the Olmsted County, Minnesota, population with the characteristics of populations residing in the state of Minnesota, the Upper Midwest, and the entire United States. Results: Age, sex, and ethnic characteristics of Olmsted County were similar to those of the state of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest from 1970 to 2000. However, Olmsted County was less ethnically diverse than the entire US population (90.3% vs 75.1% white), more highly educated (91.1% vs 80.4% high school graduates), and wealthier ($51,316 vs $41,994 median household income; 2000 US Census data). Age- and sex-specific mortality rates were similar for Olmsted County, the state of Minnesota, and the entire United States. Conclusion: We provide an example of analyses and comparisons that may guide the generalization of epidemiological findings from a single population to other populations or to the entire United States.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.mayocp.2011.11.009
DO - 10.1016/j.mayocp.2011.11.009
M3 - Article
C2 - 22305027
AN - SCOPUS:84856657579
SN - 0025-6196
VL - 87
SP - 151
EP - 160
JO - Mayo Clinic proceedings
JF - Mayo Clinic proceedings
IS - 2
ER -