HS300

Professor Carrion

Article Critique

Read the article Sharwood L, Use of caffeinated substances and risk of crashes in long distance drivers of
commercial vehicles: case-control study BMJ 2013; 346: 1-7

1. What kind of study was this?

This is a Case-Control Study

2. Assess the study methods: was the appropriate measure of association for this type of study
selected?
Yes, the appropriate measure was selected.

3. What were the major study findings?

The study found that 43% drivers in these car accidents reported the use of products
containing caffeine. There was also a known 3% of users who reported using illegal
stimulants.

4. Assess for selection and information bias. List all forms of bias identified
In terms of selection bias, the study selected there control drivers with their identities being
confidentiality. They also interviewed every participant in order to asses their various
demographics, medical considtions, and/or drug use history.

5. What confounders did the investigators account for in their analysis?

The investigators had a clear understanding that there could be known confounders such as
age, weight, gender, and more. They also specifically accounted for a 5 year past history of a
car crash.

6. Can you think of other confounders that were not accounted for in the study?
Individual stress levels and emotion could easily affect driving habits of participants in the
study and could've been an unseen confounder.

7. Based on what we have learned about internal validity, are the study findings valid? Why?
Yes, they were valid however there was bound to be outliers in the findings.

8. If valid, to which population may this study’s findings be extrapolated?

Driver's around the world with grace given for their various demographics.