Question

What are the main study designs in epidemiology? What are some advantage and disadvantages of each (at least 2) :Cohort, case-control, cross-sectional and intervention studies

Answer 1

*EPIDEMIOLOGY STUDY DESIGNS

▪︎Experimental

▪︎Observational - Analytical studies ,descriptive studies

☆ Cohort study

•Advantages

*It can study many health outcomes

* Can determine the incidence of disease

•Disadvantages

* Expensive

* Time consuming

☆ Case - control

• Advantages

*Less time required

*Low cost

* Less number of subjects

• Disadvantages

* Risk for bias (Selection ,interviewer)

*Less exposure status

☆Cross sectional

• Advantages

* Less expensive

* Good follow up

• Disadvantages

* No study on cause effect relationship

*Only can determine the prevalence of disease

☆Intervention studies

•Advantages

*Can determine the cause of disease

* FDA approved study designs

•Disadvantages

* Low external validity

* More expensive

*Time consuming