Confounding risk factors

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In epidemiology studies, confounding risk factors are alternative exposures or conditions that could have caused or contributed to the disease of interest. For example, both age and family history of cancer are statistically associated with cancer risk and would typically be considered as competing, contributing or confounding risk factors.

An epidemiologist typically tries to account for confounding risk factors by conducting multivariate statistical analysis. However, one cannot simply wave a statistical wand over data to eliminate concern about confounding risk factors.