Avoiding research bias is important for developing objective, reliable health-re

Question

Avoiding research bias is important for developing objective, reliable health-related information that can be used by the public. Check all of the situations that are likely to indicate research bias:

-An organization representing dairy farmers provides a monetary grant to a researcher who will study whether drinking three cups of milk per day promotes weight loss. -A university research team is studying whether individuals who eat chicken that has been injected with a salt-water solution before packaging have higher blood pressure levels than people who eat chicken that has not been injected with the salt-water solution. Before conducting their study, the researchers did not seek funding from the poultry farmers’ association.

-A soft drink producers' trade group funds a study to determine whether the removal of soft drink machines from schools negatively affects the number of extracurricular activities that are offered by administrators in those schools.

-A drug company that makes dietary supplements funds a study that indicated the health benefits of taking megadoses of vitamin C on a daily basis.

-A psychologist who is a consultant for an organization that promotes plant-based diets conducts a study that finds people who eat meat are just as likely to be depressed as people who do not eat meat. An article that describes her study and its findings is published in the peer-reviewed The Journal of Nutrition. At the end of the article, the psychologist discloses her ties to several organizations, including the one promoting plant-based diets.

-A physician who focuses on child health concerns (a pediatrician) is opposed to administering vitamin D supplements to breastfed babies. This physician thinks the vitamin contributes to excess weight gain among infants. According to this doctor, his records indicate that breastfed babies who received the vitamin D supplement are 2 pounds heavier than breastfed babies who are the same age but did not receive the supplement.

Explanation / Answer

-An organization representing dairy farmers provides a monetary grant to a researcher who will study whether drinking three cups of milk per day promotes weight loss.

The research indicates bias as the organization which represents dairy farmers provides funding to make sure that drinking milk every day will allow weight loss.

-A university research team is studying whether individuals who eat chicken that has been injected with a salt-water solution before packaging have higher blood pressure levels than people who eat chicken that has not been injected with the salt-water solution. Before conducting their study, the researchers did not seek funding from the poultry farmers’ association.

This research does not indicate bias as this is conducted by a university team which does not seek any help from poultry organizations.

-A soft drink producers' trade group funds a study to determine whether the removal of soft drink machines from schools negatively affects the number of extracurricular activities that are offered by administrators in those schools.

This research is biased as the group does not want the soft drink machine to be removed from schools, so they fund research which proves negative effects of removal of school kids.

-A drug company that makes dietary supplements funds a study that indicated the health benefits of taking megadoses of vitamin C on a daily basis.

This research is biased as the funding group is drug that makes these dietary supplements

-A psychologist who is a consultant for an organization that promotes plant-based diets conducts a study that finds people who eat meat are just as likely to be depressed as people who do not eat meat. An article that describes her study and its findings is published in the peer-reviewed The Journal of Nutrition. At the end of the article, the psychologist discloses her ties to several organizations, including the one promoting plant-based diets.

The research is biased as the psychologist is associated with plant based diets organization which has funded the study.

-A physician who focuses on child health concerns (a pediatrician) is opposed to administering vitamin D supplements to breastfed babies. This physician thinks the vitamin contributes to excess weight gain among infants. According to this doctor, his records indicate that breastfed babies who received the vitamin D supplement are 2 pounds heavier than breastfed babies who are the same age but did not receive the supplement.

This research is not biased as the study was his own observations and not funded any organization which deals with Vitamin D supplements.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse A
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.