Studies Flashcards
What format is used for framing a research question ?
PICO
What does PICO stand for ?
Population. Intervention. Control. Outcome.
Explain a cohort study.
Establish group of individuals in population.
Measure exposures over time.
Identify those who then go on to subsequently develop disease.
What are the uses of a cohort study ?
Incidence.
Investigating causes.
Determine prognosis.
Timing and direction of events.
What are the problems associated with a cohort study ?
Controls hard to identify.
Confounding variables.
Large sample required.
Expensive.
Time consuming.
What type of study is described -
- Population of people.
- Apply exclusion groups.
- Randomise into intervention and control groups.
- Follow up and measure.
- Produce outcome.
Randomised control trial.
What are the problems associated with a RCT ?
Overestimates effect.
Ethical issues.
Risk of bias.
Expensive.
Complicated.
What are the four elements of a successful RCT ?
Specification (inclusion-exclusion criteria).
Control group.
External randomisation.
Blinding and masking.
When might a case report or case series be used ?
For production of hypothesis or new disease outcome.
Usually first step in research.
What are the problems associated with a case report/case series ?
No control.
Cannot demonstrate valid statistical associations between exposure and disease development.
When might a cross-sectional study be used ?
Measuring prevalence of disease or potential risk factors.
What type of study is described ?
Study of people with disease at single point in time where exposure and outcome are determined at the same point.
Cross-sectional study.
What problems are associated with cross-sectional study ?
Confounding variables.
Casuality.
Recall bias.
What is the key difference between case-control studies and cohort studies ? Which is more effective ?
Cohort study more effective - population selected then observe exposures and then generate outcome.
Case-control study - populations with and without disease are compared retrospectively using GP notes, history etc.
What are two analytical observational studies ?
Cohort study.
Case-control study.
Both watch population without intervention.
