Choice of Outcome in COVID-19 Studies and Implications for Policy: Mortality and Fatality
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Publication date
2022-02
Authors
Westreich, Daniel
Edwards, Jessie K.
Tennant, Peter W.G.
Murray, Eleanor J.
van Smeden, Maarten
Editors
Advisors
Supervisors
Document Type
Article
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taverne
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."
Keywords
COVID-19/mortality, Epidemiologic Studies, Health Policy, Humans, Policy Making, Risk, SARS-CoV-2, Vulnerable Populations, Taverne, Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Citation
Westreich, D, Edwards, J K, Tennant, P W G, Murray, E J & Van Smeden, M 2022, 'Choice of Outcome in COVID-19 Studies and Implications for Policy : Mortality and Fatality', American Journal of Epidemiology, vol. 191, no. 2, pp. 282-286. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwab244