Epidemiology - Observational Studies

In what ways can controls match cases in Case-Control studies?

Age, sex, residence, etc.

What study is used to compare risk factors in groups of people who have something in common? These groups must be observed over a long period of time to see what results.

Cohort studies

What study assesses exposure and disease status at the same time, using the individual as the unit of observation and analysis?

Cross-sectional study

What are some weaknesses of a cross-sectional study?

1. No cause-effect 2. Measures at one point in time 3. Prevalent cases are survivors

What are some weaknesses of case-control studies?

1. bias 2. uncertainty in exposure-disease time 3. selecting cases/controls 4. cannot determine incidence directly

What are some weaknesses of a cohort study?

1. large sample size 2. inefficient for rare diseases 3. long time to complete study 4. expensive 5. validity

What can be said about case reports and case series in terms of weaknesses?

1. susceptible to bias 2. cannot use to make treatment decisions

What type of studies describe the experience of a single patient with an interesting finding?

Case reports

What type of studies describe the experience of a group of patients w/ similar diagnoses?

Case series

What study uses two groups to compare disease vs. no disease? Control groups must be similar to cases, except that they can't have the disease.

Case-control study

When a cohort is assembled in the present and the follow-up will occur in the future, this is called a _________ cohort.

Prospective

When a cohort was assembled in the past, and the follow-up is occurring in the present, this is called a ___________ cohort.

Retrospective historical