Association MCQs With Answer

Association MCQs With Answer is a focused collection designed for B.Pharm students to master key concepts in biostatistics and epidemiology relevant to pharmacy practice. This guide covers measures of association such as correlation coefficients, odds ratio, relative risk, hazard ratio, chi-square tests, and regression analysis, with clear explanations and application-based questions. It emphasizes interpretation, assumptions, confounding, effect modification and appropriate statistical tests for different data types. Ideal for exam preparation and quick revision, these well-structured MCQs reinforce both theory and clinical research interpretation. Now let’s test your knowledge with 50 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. Which measure is most appropriate to quantify strength and direction of a linear relationship between two continuous variables?

• Pearson correlation coefficient
• Chi-square statistic
• Odds ratio
• Kaplan-Meier estimate

Correct Answer: Pearson correlation coefficient

Q2. In a case-control study, which measure of association is typically calculated?

• Relative risk
• Odds ratio
• Hazard ratio
• Correlation coefficient

Correct Answer: Odds ratio

Q3. An odds ratio of 1.0 indicates what kind of association between exposure and outcome?

• Positive association
• Negative association
• No association
• Confounding present

Correct Answer: No association

Q4. Relative risk is most appropriately used in which study design?

• Case-control study
• Cohort study
• Cross-sectional study
• Ecological study

Correct Answer: Cohort study

Q5. Which statistic assesses association between two categorical variables in a contingency table?

• Pearson correlation
• Chi-square test
• T-test
• ANOVA

Correct Answer: Chi-square test

Q6. Spearman’s rank correlation is preferred over Pearson’s when:

• Both variables are normally distributed
• Data are ordinal or not normally distributed
• Sample size is extremely large only
• Variables are binary

Correct Answer: Data are ordinal or not normally distributed

Q7. Which measure quantifies the proportion of variance in the dependent variable explained by an independent variable in linear regression?

• Correlation coefficient (r)
• Coefficient of determination (R-squared)
• Odds ratio
• Standard error

Correct Answer: Coefficient of determination (R-squared)

Q8. In logistic regression, the exponentiated regression coefficient represents:

• Relative risk
• Odds ratio
• Correlation coefficient
• Hazard ratio

Correct Answer: Odds ratio

Q9. Which measure is best to describe association for a 2×2 table with small expected cell counts?

• Pearson’s chi-square without correction
• Fisher’s exact test
• t-test
• Mann-Whitney U test

Correct Answer: Fisher’s exact test

Q10. A correlation coefficient of -0.85 indicates:

• A weak positive linear relationship
• A strong negative linear relationship
• No relationship
• A causal effect

Correct Answer: A strong negative linear relationship

Q11. Which statistic measures association strength for two binary variables and is symmetric for table orientation?

• Pearson’s r
• Phi coefficient
• Spearman rho
• Kendall’s tau

Correct Answer: Phi coefficient

Q12. Effect modification (interaction) differs from confounding because effect modification:

• Is a bias that should always be controlled
• Indicates a true difference in effect across strata
• Results from measurement error
• Is eliminated by randomization

Correct Answer: Indicates a true difference in effect across strata

Q13. Which measure indicates strength of association for nominal variables with more than two categories?

• Pearson correlation
• Cramer’s V
• Spearman correlation
• Odds ratio

Correct Answer: Cramer’s V

Q14. In time-to-event studies, which measure expresses association between exposure and hazard of event?

• Relative risk
• Hazard ratio
• Odds ratio
• Correlation coefficient

Correct Answer: Hazard ratio

Q15. A 95% confidence interval for an odds ratio that includes 1 implies:

• Statistically significant association
• No statistically significant association at 5% level
• Strong positive association
• Wide variability only

Correct Answer: No statistically significant association at 5% level

Q16. Which test assesses trend across ordered categories for association?

• Cochran-Armitage trend test
• Fisher’s exact test
• Student’s t-test
• Log-rank test

Correct Answer: Cochran-Armitage trend test

Q17. Partial correlation measures association between two variables while:

• Ignoring any other variables
• Controlling for one or more additional variables
• Assuming causation
• Only applicable for nominal data

Correct Answer: Controlling for one or more additional variables

Q18. A spurious correlation arises due to:

• Random high precision measurement
• Chance or presence of an unmeasured confounder
• Proper experimental control
• High sample size only

Correct Answer: Chance or presence of an unmeasured confounder

Q19. Which of these indicates a strong association but not necessarily causation?

• High correlation between two variables
• Randomized controlled trial result
• Temporal precedence with confounding controlled
• Biological plausibility

Correct Answer: High correlation between two variables

Q20. McNemar’s test is used to analyze association for:

• Two independent samples of continuous data
• Paired binary data in a before-after design
• Multiple groups with ordinal outcomes
• Time-to-event outcomes

Correct Answer: Paired binary data in a before-after design

Q21. Which measure compares incidence rates between exposed and unexposed groups?

• Odds ratio
• Relative risk (risk ratio)
• Pearson’s r
• Cramer’s V

Correct Answer: Relative risk (risk ratio)

Q22. In linear regression, the regression coefficient (slope) represents:

• The change in dependent variable per unit change in independent variable
• The correlation squared
• The p-value of association
• The odds of outcome

Correct Answer: The change in dependent variable per unit change in independent variable

Q23. When assessing association between drug dose (ordinal) and response (ordinal), the appropriate correlation is:

• Pearson correlation
• Spearman rank correlation
• Chi-square goodness of fit
• Kaplan-Meier estimator

Correct Answer: Spearman rank correlation

Q24. Which criterion helps support causation beyond statistical association in pharmacoepidemiology?

• Bradford Hill criteria
• Central limit theorem
• Fisher’s exact criteria
• Pearson’s assumptions

Correct Answer: Bradford Hill criteria

Q25. Confounding occurs when a third variable is associated with both exposure and outcome and:

• Is on the causal pathway between exposure and outcome
• Distorts the true exposure-outcome association
• Always strengthens the observed association
• Is independent of both exposure and outcome

Correct Answer: Distorts the true exposure-outcome association

Q26. Which method can control confounding during study design?

• Restriction and matching
• Post-hoc subgroup analysis only
• Increasing sample size only
• Using Fisher’s exact test

Correct Answer: Restriction and matching

Q27. The phi coefficient value of 0.6 suggests:

• No association
• Moderate to strong association between two binary variables
• Perfect association
• Negative association

Correct Answer: Moderate to strong association between two binary variables

Q28. In a 2×2 table, Yates correction for continuity is applied to:

• Reduce bias when expected counts are large
• Adjust chi-square for small sample size in dichotomous data
• Compute odds ratio directly
• Estimate hazard ratios

Correct Answer: Adjust chi-square for small sample size in dichotomous data

Q29. Which association measure is preferred when outcome is rare (<10%) and study is cohort?

• Odds ratio approximates relative risk
• Use Pearson’s r
• Use Cramer’s V
• Spearman correlation is required

Correct Answer: Odds ratio approximates relative risk

Q30. Multicollinearity affects measures of association in multivariable regression by:

• Increasing precision of coefficients
• Inflating standard errors and destabilizing estimates
• Eliminating all associations
• Converting logistic regression to linear regression

Correct Answer: Inflating standard errors and destabilizing estimates

Q31. Which test is used to compare two correlation coefficients from independent samples?

• Fisher’s z-transformation
• Chi-square test
• Paired t-test
• McNemar’s test

Correct Answer: Fisher’s z-transformation

Q32. An odds ratio of 0.5 implies:

• Exposure doubles the odds of outcome
• Exposure halves the odds of outcome
• No association
• Perfect association

Correct Answer: Exposure halves the odds of outcome

Q33. Which of the following best describes ecological association studies?

• Individual-level exposure and outcome data
• Aggregate data used to assess associations across populations
• Randomized participant allocation
• Time-to-event analysis

Correct Answer: Aggregate data used to assess associations across populations

Q34. The Mantel-Haenszel method is used to:

• Estimate a pooled measure of association across strata controlling for confounding
• Compute Pearson correlation for paired data
• Calculate Kaplan-Meier survival curves
• Perform principal component analysis

Correct Answer: Estimate a pooled measure of association across strata controlling for confounding

Q35. In a cohort study, absolute risk reduction (ARR) provides information about:

• Relative magnitude only
• The difference in incidence between exposed and unexposed groups
• Correlation between variables
• Statistical power

Correct Answer: The difference in incidence between exposed and unexposed groups

Q36. Which of the following is TRUE about correlation and causation?

• Correlation always proves causation
• Causation implies correlation but not vice versa
• No causal inference can ever be made from longitudinal data
• High correlation eliminates confounding

Correct Answer: Causation implies correlation but not vice versa

Q37. Which measure quantifies agreement between two raters for categorical outcomes, beyond chance?

• Kappa statistic
• Pearson correlation
• Odds ratio
• Chi-square test

Correct Answer: Kappa statistic

Q38. In logistic regression, a 95% CI for OR of 1.5 to 4.0 indicates:

• Non-significant association at 5% level
• Statistically significant positive association
• Negative association
• Insufficient sample size

Correct Answer: Statistically significant positive association

Q39. Which method helps detect nonlinear association between two continuous variables?

• Scatter plot and nonparametric smoothing
• Only Pearson correlation
• Chi-square test
• McNemar’s test

Correct Answer: Scatter plot and nonparametric smoothing

Q40. When assessing association in a cross-sectional study, which limitation is most relevant?

• Cannot measure prevalence
• Temporal ambiguity between exposure and outcome
• Always more expensive than cohort studies
• Cannot measure associations at all

Correct Answer: Temporal ambiguity between exposure and outcome

Q41. Which statistic is appropriate to assess association between two ordinal variables considering ties?

• Kendall’s tau
• Pearson’s r without adjustment
• Chi-square test for trend only
• Hazard ratio

Correct Answer: Kendall’s tau

Q42. In a clinical trial, intention-to-treat analysis affects measures of association by:

• Potentially diluting treatment effect but preserving randomization
• Always increasing apparent association
• Eliminating all confounders
• Converting odds ratios to relative risks

Correct Answer: Potentially diluting treatment effect but preserving randomization

Q43. Which of the following indicates a statistically significant association if p-value = 0.03?

• No, because p must be below 0.01
• Yes, at the 5% significance level
• No, because p must be above 0.05
• Only if confidence interval includes null

Correct Answer: Yes, at the 5% significance level

Q44. Which approach is best to visualize association between a categorical and continuous variable?

• Histogram only
• Box plot of continuous variable by category
• Scatter plot without grouping
• Kaplan-Meier curve

Correct Answer: Box plot of continuous variable by category

Q45. In pharmacoepidemiology, disproportionality analysis (e.g., PRR) assesses association between:

• Drug exposure and population incidence rates
• Specific drug and reported adverse event in spontaneous reports
• Correlation between two continuous lab values
• Survival time and treatment arm

Correct Answer: Specific drug and reported adverse event in spontaneous reports

Q46. Which transformation may normalize right-skewed continuous data before assessing association?

• Square of the variable
• Logarithmic transformation
• Converting to ranks always worsens normality
• Adding a constant only

Correct Answer: Logarithmic transformation

Q47. Which concept explains reduced observed association due to non-differential misclassification of exposure?

• Bias towards the null
• Bias away from the null always
• Confounding by indication only
• Effect modification

Correct Answer: Bias towards the null

Q48. The attributable risk percent among the exposed indicates:

• Proportion of disease in total population due to exposure
• Proportion of disease among exposed attributable to that exposure
• Relative risk squared
• Odds ratio adjusted for confounding

Correct Answer: Proportion of disease among exposed attributable to that exposure

Q49. In survival analysis, the log-rank test compares:

• Means of continuous variables between groups
• Survival distributions between two or more groups
• Correlation coefficients over time
• Odds ratios at a single time point

Correct Answer: Survival distributions between two or more groups

Q50. When reporting an association, which elements are essential for clear interpretation?

• Measure of association, confidence interval, p-value, and study design context
• Only the p-value is needed
• Only sample size and mean
• Just the direction of association without magnitude

Correct Answer: Measure of association, confidence interval, p-value, and study design context

G S Sachin

I am a Registered Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, and the founder of PharmacyFreak.com. I hold a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Rungta College of Pharmaceutical Science and Research. With a strong academic foundation and practical knowledge, I am committed to providing accurate, easy-to-understand content to support pharmacy students and professionals. My aim is to make complex pharmaceutical concepts accessible and useful for real-world application.

Mail- Sachin@pharmacyfreak.com