Question
The article included the sentence, “Despite a significant increase in the number of cases of breast cancer detected when BSE [breast self exam] instruction was provided, there was no reduction in all-cause mortality (RR, 1.07 [95% CI, 0.88 to 1.29)].”
Indicate whether each of the following statements is a correct interpretation of this result.
a. In repeated studies from the same population, the confidence interval 0.88 to 1.29 would contain the true relative risk of mortality 95% of the time.
b. It is possible that BSE instruction truly increases or decreases the risk of all-cause mortality but that this study lacked the power to detect an effect.
c. The results enable us to reject the null hypothesis of no effect of BSE instruction because the RR is not equal to 1.00.
d. Without a p value, it is not possible to interpret the significance of this result.
e. In repeated studies from the same population, the confidence interval would contain the true relative risk 95% of the time. The interval 0.88 to 1.29 is one such CI.
f. The insignificance of the result suggests there was considerable bias and/or confounding in this study.
