Question

Describe in your own words the characteristics of a case-control study.

Answer 1

A case control study is also called as retrospective study. It is study which compares individuals who have a disease called cases and the one who do not have a disease called control. It also compares how frequently the groups have been exposed to the risk factors and the relationship between risk factor and disease. The characteristic of case control study are:

• A group of individual with disease is needed called cases
• A group of individual without disease is needed called control.
• It is an observational study.
• No intervention is used in the study i.e no attempt is made to change the course of disease.
• The duration required to complete the study is less.
• Effects of multiple risk factors can be studied at a time.
• This study can provide answers to those questions which cannot be studied by other design.
• This study is not used to evaluate diagnostic test.
• This study can be conducted for rare conditions or diseases.
• A case control study is inexpensive.