MEDI251 Lecture 6: Study design 3

• School: UOW
• Department: Medical and Health Sciences
• Course: MEDI251
• Professor: Karen Charlton

Document Summary

List the main characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of cohort studies. Overview of study designs: observational studies, descriptive studies: cross sectional surveys, analytic studies: many ecologic studies, case control studies, cohort studies, quasi experimental studies, experimental studies. Cohort studies: start with a group of subjects who do not have the disease of interest at baseline and are potentially at risk for the outcome. Include at least two observation points: one to determine exposure status and one to determine number of incident cases: permits calculation of incidence rates, can be thought of as going from cause to effect. Increased rate chd in persons with diabetes mellitus: framingham offspring study, framingham third generation study, nurses health study. Comparison (non exposed group: cohort studies involve the comparison of disease rates between exposed and non exposed groups, the comparison group is similar in demographics and geography to the exposed group, but lacks the exposure. In an occupational setting, several categories of exposure may exist.