Correlation Is Not Causation — Cohort & Case-Control Studies | Interpreting Veterinary Literature

Two variables rising together is an association, not proof of cause. In this talk we break down the two workhorse observational designs in vet medicine — cohort studies (forward in time, gives you risk ratio) and case-control studies (backward in time, odds ratio only) — plus where bias hides and how to spot it. We finish by applying the Bradford Hill criteria to a real-world case: lawn herbicide exposure and bladder cancer in dogs. You'll learn: • How cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional designs differ • Why case-control studies can only give you an odds ratio • The four bias types to watch: selection, information, confounding, attrition • When an association is strong enough to suggest causation 👍 If this helped, a quick like tells the algorithm to share it with other students who need it — and subscribe for more short, clear epidemiology lessons. For more on staying focused in vet school, check out my hub channel, ‪@SurvivingVetSchool‬ #VetMed #VeterinaryMedicine #VetSchool #Epidemiology #EvidenceBasedMedicine #Biostatistics #CohortStudy #CaseControl #BradfordHill #StudyDesign #VetStudent #OneHealth #veterinaryepidemiology #vetschool #vetstudent #veterinaryeducation