Choice of Outcome in COVID-19 Studies and Implications for Policy: Mortality and Fatality

Daniel Westreich; Jessie K. Edwards; Peter W.G. Tennant; Eleanor J. Murray; Maarten Van Smeden

doi:10.1093/aje/kwab244

Choice of Outcome in COVID-19 Studies and Implications for Policy: Mortality and Fatality

Daniel Westreich^*, Jessie K. Edwards, Peter W.G. Tennant, Eleanor J. Murray, Maarten Van Smeden

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this brief communication, we discuss the confusion of mortality with fatality in the interpretation of evidence in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and how this confusion affects the translation of science into policy and practice. We discuss how this confusion has influenced COVID-19 policy in France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom and discuss the implications for decision-making about COVID-19 vaccine distribution. We also discuss how this confusion is an example of a more general statistical fallacy we term the "Missing Link Fallacy."

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	282-286
Number of pages	5
Journal	American Journal of Epidemiology
Volume	191
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwab244
Publication status	Published - Feb 2022

Keywords

COVID-19/mortality
Epidemiologic Studies
Health Policy
Humans
Policy Making
Risk
SARS-CoV-2
Vulnerable Populations

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10.1093/aje/kwab244

Cite this

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abstract = "In this brief communication, we discuss the confusion of mortality with fatality in the interpretation of evidence in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and how this confusion affects the translation of science into policy and practice. We discuss how this confusion has influenced COVID-19 policy in France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom and discuss the implications for decision-making about COVID-19 vaccine distribution. We also discuss how this confusion is an example of a more general statistical fallacy we term the {"}Missing Link Fallacy.{"}",

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note = "{\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected].",

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doi = "10.1093/aje/kwab244",

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T1 - Choice of Outcome in COVID-19 Studies and Implications for Policy

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AU - Edwards, Jessie K.

AU - Tennant, Peter W.G.

AU - Murray, Eleanor J.

AU - Van Smeden, Maarten

N1 - © The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected].

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N2 - In this brief communication, we discuss the confusion of mortality with fatality in the interpretation of evidence in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and how this confusion affects the translation of science into policy and practice. We discuss how this confusion has influenced COVID-19 policy in France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom and discuss the implications for decision-making about COVID-19 vaccine distribution. We also discuss how this confusion is an example of a more general statistical fallacy we term the "Missing Link Fallacy."

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KW - COVID-19/mortality

KW - Epidemiologic Studies

KW - Health Policy

KW - Humans

KW - Policy Making

KW - Risk

KW - SARS-CoV-2

KW - Vulnerable Populations

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Choice of Outcome in COVID-19 Studies and Implications for Policy: Mortality and Fatality

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