Types of Studies

Question 1

Cross-sectional study

Answer 1

Collects data from a group of people to assess *frequency of disease (and related risk factors) at a *particular point in time.

Looks at *Disease prevalence

Question 2

Case-control study

Answer 2

Compares a group of people *with disease to a group *without disease.

Looks for *prior exposure or *risk factor

usu *retrospective

*Odds ratio (OR)

“Patients with COPD had higher odds of a history of smoking than those without COPD.”

Question 3

Cohort study

Answer 3

Compares a group with a *given exposure or risk
factor to a group *without such exposure.

Looks to see if exposure affects the likelihood of disease

• can be *prospective or *retrospective
• Relative risk (RR)

“Smokers had a higher risk of developing COPD than nonsmokers.”

Question 4

Twin concordance study

Answer 4

Compares the frequency with which both *monozygotic twins or both *dizygotic twins develop the *same disease.

Measures *heritability and influence of *environmental factors

“nature vs nurture”

Question 5

Adoption study

Answer 5

Compares siblings raised by biological vs adoptive parents.

Measures *heritability and influence of *environmental factors.