Selection of Controls in Case-Control Studies
Abstract
A synthesis of classical and recent thinking on the issues involved in selecting controls for case-control studies is presented in this and two companion papers (S. Wacholder et al. Am J Epidemiol 1992;135:1029-50). In this paper, a theoretical framework for selecting controls in case-control studies is developed. Three principles of comparability are described: 1) study base, that all comparisons be made within the study base; 2) deconfounding, that comparisons of the effects of the levels of exposure on disease risk not be distorted by the effects of other factors; and 3) comparable accuracy, that any errors in measurement of exposure be nondifferential between cases and controls. These principles, if adhered to in a study, can reduce selection, confounding, and information bias, respectively. The principles, however, are constrained by an additional efficiency principle regarding resources and time. Most problems and controversies in control selection reflect trade-offs among these four principles.
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- Authors
- Wacholder, S., McLaughlin, J. K., Silverman, D. T., & Mandel, J. S.
- Affiliations
- National Cancer Institute (US)
- University of Minnesota (US)
- Corresponding author
- Wacholder, Sholom
- Venue
- American Journal of Epidemiology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 1992-05-01
- Volume
- 135
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 1019-1028
- ISSN
- 0002-9262 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-6256
- OpenAlex
- W2201893451
- Cited by
- 998
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 36 · 2015: 50 · 2014: 45 · 2013: 42 · 2012: 46
- FWCI
- 20.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Statistical Methods in Epidemiology
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Advanced Causal Inference Techniques
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging
- Keywords
- control selection, case-control study, comparability, deconfounding, selection bias, information bias, exposure measurement error, efficiency trade-offs
- MeSH terms
- Efficiency, Environmental Exposure, Humans, Random Allocation, Research Design, Sampling Studies, Reproducibility of Results, Selection Bias, Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic, Effect Modifier, Epidemiologic, Case-Control Studies
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