A case control-study was conducted to examine the different riskfactors (e.g. family history, alcohol use, obesity, diet,ethnicity, smoking, herbicides and solvents exposure, etc.)associated with breast cancer among women. Investigators recruitedcases of breast cancer in several hospitals in the New York City.Controls were selected in the same hospitals as the cases. Controlsincluded women diagnosed for other conditions or diseases thancancer. (1.1 point)
a. What is the main purpose of a control groupin a case-control study? (0.3 point)
b. What are the advantages and disadvantages ofselecting a hospital-based control group? (0.4point)
c. The investigators decided to match the casesand controls for education. Explain the reasons behind thisdecision in this particular study.