A study of bladder cancer in relation to occupation among women was conducted in Southern California (Anton-Culver et al., 1992). For women diagnosed with this condition during 1984–1988, current occupation was ascertained from medical records. As a basis for comparison, interviews were conducted with a random sample of similar-aged women who resided in the same counties as the cases. A far greater proportion of cases than controls were categorized as “homemakers”: Relative to women who had a professional, technical, or managerial occupation, homemakers were estimatedto have about a five-fold increase inthe risk of bladder cancer (95% confidence interval of the relative risk = 2.4–12.0). The authors hypothesized that the hobbies and household tasks of the homemakers might expose them to carcinogenic agents to a greater extent than other women. What is a (possibly more plausible) noncausal explanation for the association?
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