Nursing (Comprehensi ve) Question 94 Not yet answered An investigator conducted a cross sectional study on prevalence and determinants of non-adherence to ART among adults.The observed result showed false association between the cause and the outcome variable which is due to uncontrollable factors. What can be the cause for losing validity in this study? a. The random error B. The confounder B. The study design C. The lives

The correct answer is B. The confounder.<br /><br />In this scenario, the investigator conducted a cross-sectional study on the prevalence and determinants of non-adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) among adults. The observed result showed a false association between the cause (non-adherence to ART) and the outcome variable (disease progression or other health outcomes), which is due to uncontrollable factors.<br /><br />A confounder is a variable that is not of primary interest but can influence both the outcome and the exposure variable, leading to a false association. In this case, the confounder could be an uncontrollable factor that affects both the adherence to ART and the health outcomes. This factor could be a characteristic of the participants, such as socioeconomic status, access to healthcare, or other health conditions, which may influence both the adherence to ART and the health outcomes.<br /><br />The other options are not the correct cause for losing validity in this study:<br /><br />A. The random error: Random error refers to the variability in the data that is due to chance and is not related to the confounder. It can affect the accuracy of the estimates but does not explain the false association between the cause and the outcome variable.<br /><br />C. The study design: The study design refers to the overall structure and methodology of the study. While the study design can influence the validity of the study, it is not the direct cause of the false association in this scenario.<br /><br />Therefore, the correct answer is B. The confounder.