PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Jacqueline E Rudolph
AU  - Yongqi Zhong
AU  - Priya Duggal
AU  - Shruti H Mehta
AU  - Bryan Lau
TI  - Defining representativeness of study samples in medical and population health research
AID  - 10.1136/bmjmed-2022-000399
DP  - 2023 May 01
TA  - BMJ Medicine
PG  - e000399
VI  - 2
IP  - 1
4099  - http://bmjmedicine.bmj.com/content/2/1/e000399.short
4100  - http://bmjmedicine.bmj.com/content/2/1/e000399.full
SO  - bmjmed2023 May 01; 2
AB  - Medical and population health science researchers frequently make ambiguous statements about whether they believe their study sample or results are representative of some (implicit or explicit) target population. This article provides a comprehensive definition of representativeness, with the goal of capturing the different ways in which a study can be representative of a target population. It is proposed that a study is representative if the estimate obtained in the study sample is generalisable to the target population (owing to representative sampling, estimation of stratum specific effects, or quantitative methods to generalise or transport estimates) or the interpretation of the results is generalisable to the target population (based on fundamental scientific premises and substantive background knowledge). This definition is explored in the context of four covid-19 studies, ranging from laboratory science to descriptive epidemiology. All statements regarding representativeness should make clear the way in which the study results generalise, the target population the results are being generalised to, and the assumptions that must hold for that generalisation to be scientifically or statistically justifiable.Data sharing not applicable as no datasets generated and/or analysed for this study.