study designs

Question 1

which studies are classified under descriptive

Answer 1

qualitative
case studies
cross sectional

Question 2

which studies are classified under exploratory analytical

Answer 2

case control studies
cohort study

Question 3

which studies are classified under experimental analytical

Answer 3

RCT
quasi experimental

Question 4

what are syntheses of primary studies

Answer 4

scoping review
systematic review
meta analysis

Question 5

what is a PICO research question

Answer 5

P = problem
I = intervention
C = comparison
O = outcome

Question 6

what is the difference between case control and cohort studies

Answer 6

case control:
- take people that ALREADY HAVE the outcome of interest and compare them to those who don’t
- good for rare outcomes

cohort study:
- take a cohort and follow them (some might get the outcome of interest and some may not)

Question 7

what is the gold standard for experimental design

Answer 7

RCT

Question 8

what are quasi experimental studies

Answer 8

fall in between cohort and RCT
not randomised (sometimes unethical to not give intervention)
evaluates the effect of the intervention but lacks the full control of a true experimental design

Question 9

what is the hierarchy of study designs from worst to best

Answer 9

case studies
cross sectional
qualitative
case control
cohort
quasi experimental
RCT

(ca cr q ca co q r)

Question 10

what is a case study

Answer 10

in depth detailed exam of a particular case (person, place, group, event, program, etc)

used to describe characteristics of a specific outcome and generate an in depth understanding of a complex issue

Question 11

what is a cross sectional study

Answer 11

used to establish point prevalence of an outcome and trends over time with serial studies

evaluates variables of interest in a certain pop at one specific time

Question 12

what is a case control study

Answer 12

establishes relationship between exposures and specific outcomes

useful for rare injuries

usually retrospective - looks back in time to identify exposures that may have contributed to the outcome

Question 13

what is a cohort study

Answer 13

designed to compare groups to investigate relationships between exposure and outcome

usually prospective

cohort - group that shares a characteristic or experience

Question 14

what is an RCT

Answer 14

intervention and control group to investigate the effect of a certain exposure on a specific outcome

goal is to compare study groups that differ only by the treatments received

criteria
- control group
- randomly allocated participants
- defined intervention
- prospective follow up