Overview of study types

 Non interventional (Observational) studies: in

which the researcher just observes and analyses
researchable objects or situations but does not
intervene

 Intervention (Experimental) Studies: In which

the researcher manipulates objects or situations
and measures the outcome of his manipulations

1
 Observational studies
Observational studies
Analytical Descriptive
studies studies

1. Case-control 1. Cross-sectional (prevalence)

(retrospective) study studies
2. Cohort (prospective) study 2. Longitudinal (incidence)
studies
3. Ecological study
 2-Descriptive studies

Definition:
 A descriptive study involves the systematic
collection and presentation of data to give a
clear picture of a particular situation without
drawing conclusion about causality
 Can be carried out on a small or large scale

 A good example is cross-sectional surveys

3
 Purpose

 To formulate hypothesis in order to

take action in health problems
 Nature of the study

 Observational in nature
 In descriptive method we observe the
events occurring we don not
intervene , hence called
observational study .
 TYPES

 Ecology or correlation studies

 Cross sectional or prevalence studies

 Longitudinal or incidence studies

 A- Ecological studies

 Studies conducted in specific

population (E.g. Muslim,
Catholic, ) having specific
characteristics in a specified
geographic area.
 Ecological study type

 Causes or risk factors are studied

or with regard to the diseases and
death occurrence in a particular
population

 Both are linked together and their

co occurrence is established in
these studies for hypothesis
formation.
 B-Cross sectional studies
(Prevalence Studies)

These are so called because a cross section

of a community is studied at particular
point or period of time .
 Cross-sectional study is the simplest form of
an observational study.
 It is based on a single examination of a cross-
section of population at one point in time-the
result of which can be projected on the whole
population provide the sampling has been
done correctly.
 Cross-sectional study is also known as “
prevalence study”
 Cross-sectional studies are more useful for
chronic than short-lived diseases.
 For example, in a study of hypertension, we can
also collect data during the survey about age, sex,
physical exercise, body weight, salt intake and
other variables of interest, then we can determine
how prevention of hypertension is related to
certain variables simultaneously measured.
 Such a study tells us about the distribution of a
disease in population rather its etiology.
 the distribution patterns may suggest causal
hypothesis which can be tested by analytical
studies.
 Although a cross-sectional study provides
information about disease prevalence, it
provides very little information about the
natural history of disease or about the rate of
occurrence of new cases (incidence)
 When to conduct prevalence
studies?

 They are conducted for chronic diseases

having high prevalence with very low
incidence.
 Public Health Uses

 When the cross-sectional studies are

repeatedly done, they will serve the
purpose of health and disease
surveillance of the population.
 C-Longitudinal Studies

In a longitudinal study design,

The study is conducted at two or different
points of time in the life time of
individuals under study in contrast to the
one time study of cross-sectional design.
 Longitudinal studies

 There is an increasing emphasis on the value

of longitudinal studies in which observations
are repeated in the same population over a
prolonged period of time by means of follow-
up examinations.
 Cross-sectional studies have been likened to a
phonograph, and longitudinal studies to a cine
film.
 THANKS

17