Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the primary purpose of a research design?
What is the primary purpose of a research design?
- To determine the sample size required
- To outline the costs associated with a study
- To evaluate the ethical aspects of the research
- To provide a framework for the research methodology used (correct)
Which of the following best describes a case report?
Which of the following best describes a case report?
- An in-depth description of a single patient's clinical profile (correct)
- A report summarizing the findings of a population study
- A detailed analysis of multiple patients with a similar condition
- A statistical analysis comparing different treatment outcomes
What distinguishes analytical studies from descriptive studies?
What distinguishes analytical studies from descriptive studies?
- Analytical studies cannot include observational methods
- Analytical studies only focus on random samples
- Descriptive studies do not require any data collection
- Analytical studies assess suspected causes of diseases (correct)
What type of study is characterized by evaluating multiple patients at a single point in time?
What type of study is characterized by evaluating multiple patients at a single point in time?
Which of the following is a method for controlling confounding variables?
Which of the following is a method for controlling confounding variables?
What is a major disadvantage of cross-sectional studies?
What is a major disadvantage of cross-sectional studies?
Which of the following is a key feature of observational studies?
Which of the following is a key feature of observational studies?
What is a benefit of cohort studies?
What is a benefit of cohort studies?
What is a notable advantage of case-control studies?
What is a notable advantage of case-control studies?
Which factor influences the choice between case-control and cohort study designs?
Which factor influences the choice between case-control and cohort study designs?
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Study Notes
Research Design in Quantitative Studies
- Research design is the overall plan for answering research questions or testing hypotheses.
- It outlines strategies for obtaining accurate and interpretable information.
- Two main types of research design: descriptive studies and analytic studies.
Descriptive Studies
- Aim to examine disease patterns.
- Types:
- Population-based (correlational studies).
- Individual-based:
- Case reports: Detailed reports on individual patients.
- Case series: Profiles of multiple patients with a similar condition.
- Cross-sectional surveys: Assess exposure and disease status at a single point in time.
- Advantages of cross-sectional studies:
- Quick results and exploration of many associations.
- Standardized questions and measurements.
- Disadvantages:
- Cannot distinguish causation from correlation.
- Requires large study populations.
Analytic Studies
- Focus on suspected causes of diseases.
- Two categories:
- Observational studies:
- Case-control studies track exposure and outcomes retrospectively.
- Cohort studies follow groups over time, assessing exposure then observing outcomes.
- Intervention studies (clinical trials) involve researchers allocating exposures.
- Observational studies:
Cohort Studies
- Advantages:
- Establish population-based incidence rates.
- Can examine rare exposures and multiple outcomes.
- Disadvantages:
- Time-consuming and expensive.
- Large sample sizes required; not suitable for rare diseases or those with long incubation periods.
- Subject to issues like non-response, migration, and loss to follow-up.
Case-Control Studies
- Comparison between cases with the disease and controls without it.
- Advantages:
- Cost-effective and quick.
- Suitable for studying rare diseases and those with long incubation periods.
- Disadvantages:
- Selection bias and recall bias can distort results.
- Direct estimation of incidence not possible; limited to single outcomes.
Choosing Study Designs
- Both case-control and cohort designs can test the same hypothesis, with choice depending on disease nature, exposure type, and resources.
- Example: The link between oral contraceptive use and breast cancer studied through both designs.
Intervention Studies
- Also called experimental studies or clinical trials, resembling prospective cohort studies.
- Participants are identified based on exposure status and monitored for disease development.
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