randomised controlled trials

Question 1

advantages of randomised control trials

Answer 1

intervention and control groups will be similar in all respects except the intervention minimising selection bias and confounding
if participants are blind to treatment allocation reporting bias is minimised, if investigators are blind to the allocation observer bias is minimised
carry less risk of bias and confounding than any other study designs
multiple outcomes can be examined
incidence rate of outcome can be measured

Question 2

disadvantages of RCTs

Answer 2

expensive to conduct
may require large study team and long follow up
intervention studies are impossible to conduct for ethical or logistical reasons
recruitment is difficult and time-consuming
time consuming- can take years

Question 3

ingredients of RCT

Answer 3

PICO
population
intervention
comparator
outcome