Question

Chemicals in butter-flavoring: Workers in a microwave popcorn production plant in Missouri breathe chemicals that are part of the butter-flavoring. Are these workers at greater risk of developing lung problems? To investigate this question, 135 workers at the plant receive a survey, and 117 respond.

Researchers want to compare workers in the popcorn production area with workers who have jobs in other parts of the plant. People in these other jobs are not directly exposed to the butter flavorings. Of the 97 workers in the production area, 30 reported experiences of “shortness of breath.” Of the 20 workers in other jobs, only 1 reported “shortness of breath.”

What can we conclude from this study?

Answer 1

The study was found that 1/3 of 97 were short of breath and 1 of 20 were reported to have shortness of breath else where.

The conclusions would be environmental factors such as production environment, alongside exposure preventives would need to be considered for new report. The other workers cannot be used as part of contrast due to the sample data being under 30 for other workers. Sample data can only be used if it is over 30 for such comparison (contrast) tests.

Explanation: