FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES

NURSING DEPARTMENT
NAME STUDENT NUMBER
BONAVENTURE MOYO CU 19013069
CECILIA MULENGA CU 18011295
CHIPO CHAMBESHI CU 18011271
CLEMENTINA CHIMWALA CU 18010841
DORCAS MBEWE CU 18011347
ELIZABETH MBEWE CU 18010267
EUNICE CHOMBA CU 18012338
FAITH KAMBILOMBILO CU 18011065
FELISTUS KALENGA CU 18011448
MICHELLE MWANZA CU 18010845
MIYANDA HIMAKUNI CU 18010601
MIRRIAM GONDWE CU 18011197
NCHIMUNYA BUBALA CU 18010450
NAMUYANGA CHIWAALA CU 18011089
OLIYA BWALYA CU 180
PRINCIA MUGWADI CU 18010882
PAULEEN BANDA CU 18010246
PURITY MUSANGA CU 18011196
WATIPA TAZIBA CU 18010562
COURSE: EPIDEMILOGY (REB 410)
LECTURER: MR PONTINO TEMBO
QUESTION: DISCUSS A CASE-CONTROL STUDY
MODE OF STUDY: FULL TIME
GROUP: THREE (3)
CASE CONTROL STUDY
A case control study is a research methodology that is used to identify factors that may
contribute to a disease or risk factor by comparing subjects who have that condition ( the cases)
with patients who do not have the condition but otherwise similar (the controls).

Case control studies proceed from effect to cause. These studies assess whether exposure is
disproportionately distributed between the cases and controls, which may indicate that the
exposure is a risk factor for the health outcome under study. Case-control studies are frequently
used for studying rare health outcomes or diseases.

Case-control studies are selected because they have the health outcome of interest (cases).
Selection is not based on exposure status but on health outcome or disease status. The persons
who are free of the health outcome (controls) are selected via random sampling from the
population out of which the cases arose.

After cases and controls have been identified, the investigator determines the proportion of cases
and the proportion of controls that have been exposed to the exposure of interest. Thus, the
denominators obtained in a case-control study do not represent the total number of exposed and
non-exposed persons in the source population.

HOW ARE THE CASES AND CONTROLS SELECTED?

Basically a case-control study follows about four steps when selecting the desired group study
for investigations and these are:

1. A subset of the source population is identified to be potential member of the study

population.
2. A sample of the potential participants assessed for an inclusion criteria, and the study
participants are selected.
3. Investigators select eligible cases and then select eligible controls. Cases and controls
may come from different study populations.
4. Investigators assess prior exposure status
INDICATIONS

Case control studies are indicated in the following:

 They retrospectively determine the exposure to the risk factor of interest from each of the
two groups of individuals: case and controls
 They are used for establishing cause and effect relationship for example between types of
sexual behavior and developing cervical cancer.
 They can be used in instances in which experiments would be impossible, impractical
and/or unethical.
 They are a relatively inexpensive and frequently used type of epidemiological study that
can be carried out by small teams or individual researchers in single facilities in a way
that more structured experimental studies often cannot be.

RELEVANCE TO NURSING

 In the realm of nursing, case control studies focus on specific patients and provide
information about symptoms, their medical history and their diagnosis.
 Case-control studies give a good explanation and an in-depth look at an individual
patient.
 Case-control studies are relevant in nursing because they reflect an entire course of
treatment for a patient, ranging from obtaining important information to diagnosis and
later on treating medical condition.
 They give a clear picture on patient symptoms, medical histories and other relevant
details.

ADVANTAGES

 Cost effective relative to other analytical studies such as cohort studies.

 Can answer questions that could not be answered through other studies.
 Less time needed to conduct the study because the condition or disease has already
occurred.
 Efficient for the study of diseases with long latency periods.
 Efficient for the study of rare diseases.
  Case-control studies are retrospective, and cases are identified at the beginning of the
study; therefore there is no long follow up period as compared to cohort studies.
 Good for examining multiple exposures.

DISADVANTAGES

 Particularly prone to bias; especially selection, recall and observer bias.

 Case-control studies are limited to examining one outcome.
 Unable to estimate incidence rates of disease unless study is population based
 Poor choice for the study of rare exposures
 The temporal sequence between exposure and disease may be difficult to determine
 Not good for evaluating diagnostic tests because it’s already clear that the cases have the
condition and the controls do not.
CONCLUSION

A case-control study is designed to help determine if an exposure is associated with an outcome

i.e. disease of interest. This study compares the group that has been exposed and the group
known to be free. It is always retrospective because it starts with an outcome then traces back to
investigate exposures. These studies are the most commonly used because they use a dynamic
approach which is inexpensive and reliable in determining the best treatment.
REFERENCES

Dr. Carl M. Shy, Epidemiology 160/600 Introduction to Epidemiology for Public Health course
lectures, 1994-2001, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of
Epidemiology

Doll R, Hill AB (2001) smoking and carcinoma of the lung.

Lawlor DA, Davey smith G, Ibrahim S (2004) commentary: the hormone replacement coronary
heart disease conundrum.

Levin KA (2005) study design evidence based dentistry 6(3) 78-79

Ioannidis JP (2005) contradicted and initially stronger effects in highly cired clinical research.