context bias

A measurement bias due to the influence of the study’s context on the interpretation of the study’s results.

Note: For example, when tests are done in groups with a high prevalence of a disease, readers are more likely to interpret the results as anomalies. A contextual factor may also be a prognostic factor in some cases, and, if that happens, it may lead to a confusion bias. Also, evaluation of the effectiveness of support programs for antiretroviral treatment compliance may lead to questionable results if social determinants of health, such as access to drinking water in sub-Saharan Africa or the poverty of homeless persons in Canada have not been taken into account.