Confounding Variable — NDEB AFK MCQ
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Correct answer: B — A third variable associated with both the exposure and the outcome that distorts the true relationship between them
A confounding variable (confounder) is an extraneous variable that is associated with both the exposure and the outcome, and that distorts (confounds) the apparent relationship between them. For example, in a study examining the association between coffee drinking and oral cancer, smoking is a potential confounder (smokers may drink more coffee AND have higher oral cancer rates). Confounding can be controlled through randomisation (in RCTs), matching, stratification, or multivariate statistical analysis.
Reference: Burt & Eklund – Dentistry, Dental Practice, and the Community, 7th ed., 2005