How Do Researchers Control for Confounding Variables?
Researchers use several methods to control for confounding variables in cancer studies:
- Randomization: In clinical trials, random assignment of participants to different groups helps distribute confounding variables evenly across groups. - Matching: Researchers can match participants in different study groups based on confounding variables such as age or sex. - Stratification: Dividing participants into subgroups based on confounding variables allows for separate analysis within each subgroup. - Multivariable analysis: Statistical techniques like logistic regression can adjust for multiple confounding variables simultaneously.
