Plasma University

College of Health Science

Research Methods

Chapter 6
Study Designs
Chapter Outlines:-
 
 What is Research Study designs
 
 Types of Research Study designs

 
What is Study Designs?

- A study design is a specific plan or protocol for conducting the study, which

allows the investigator to translate the conceptual hypothesis into an operational

one.

- Broadly, the epidemiological studies may be classified in to the following two

broad categories, based on the types of exposure:-


1. Observational Study: the researcher studies but does not alter what,

what occurs.

2. Experimental Study: the researcher intervenes to change reality, then observes

what happens

- Depending on the existing state of knowledge about problem that is being studied,

a different type of study design may be chosen and it depends on:-

1) The type of problem

2) The knowledge already available about the problem

3) The resources available for the study

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Classes: BMLT VI-A, BPH VI-A & BSN VI-W Lecturer: Hashim Ahmed
 Plasma University
College of Health Science
Research Methods

 
Types of study designs

 
Observational study

They include studies that can be called descriptive or analytical:

- A descriptive study is limited to a description of the occurrence of a disease in a

population and is often the first step in an epidemiological investigation. Case

report, case series, ecological studies, cross-sectional

- An analytical study goes further by analyzing relationships between health status

and other variables. Case control studies, cohort studies

- Examples of observational studies:

a survey of drinking habits among students; a researcher who joins a biker gang to

study their lifestyle (note, as long as the researcher does not try to change their

behavior, it's an observational study);

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Classes: BMLT VI-A, BPH VI-A & BSN VI-W Lecturer: Hashim Ahmed
 Plasma University
College of Health Science
Research Methods

  Descriptive studies
- Involve the systematic collection and presentation of data to give a clear picture of
a particular situation.

- Observing the distribution of disease or health related events in human population.

- Identify the characteristics which the disease is associated.

- Basically 3 questions are asked when, where & who. I.e. Time, Place &
person distribution.

 
Descriptive studies

An analytical study attempts to establish association or risk factors for certain

problems that is done by comparing two or more groups, some of which have or

develop the problem and some which have not. Two commonly used types of

analytical studies are:

1) Case-control studies

2) Cohort studies

 Experimental Studies

Experimental or intervention studies involve an active attempt to change a disease

determinant – such as an exposure or a behavior – or the progress of a disease through

treatment, and are similar in design to experiments in other sciences.

Subjects are subjected to treatments or interventions based on a pre-designated plan

Healthcare workers are not allowed to continue their routine care, but must alter

their actions based on the design of the study.

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Classes: BMLT VI-A, BPH VI-A & BSN VI-W Lecturer: Hashim Ahmed
 Plasma University
College of Health Science
Research Methods

 
 Case Reports

- Detailed presentation of a single case

- Generally report a new or unique finding

- Important in understanding epidemiology of new disease:-

e.g. previously un-described disease

e.g. unexpected link between diseases

e.g. unexpected new therapeutic

effect e.g. adverse events

 
Case Series

• Experience of a group of patients with a similar diagnosis

• Cases may be identified from a single or multiple sources

• Generally report on new/unique condition

• May be only realistic design for rare disorders

Advantages

• Useful for hypothesis generation

• Informative for very rare disease with few established risk factors

Disadvantages

• Cannot study cause and effect relationships

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Classes: BMLT VI-A, BPH VI-A & BSN VI-W Lecturer: Hashim Ahmed
 Plasma University
College of Health Science
Research Methods

 
 Ecological studies

- Ecologic studies are studies in which the unit of observation is a group,

not separate individuals, for one or more study variables.
- Ecologic studies design one way of avoiding these difficulties & studying the
effects of environmental exposures on different health outcomes.
- Correlational studies
- For example, exposure and risk factors are known only at the group level, such as

the average air pollution concentration in different cities.

- Ecological analyses are only of value when the groups or communities being

compared are relatively heterogeneous in their mean levels of exposure to

risk factors.

- For this reason, they have been used most extensively for between-country rather

than within-–country comparisons.

- Within–country comparisons: ex: The People's Republic of China because there

are wide variations in disease rates from one region to another, accompanying

substantial differences in culture, behavior and lifestyle.

 
 Cross-sectional study

- An “observational” design that surveys exposures and disease status at a single

point in time (a cross-section of the population).

- Cross-sectional studies measure the prevalence of disease and thus are often called

prevalence studies.

- In a cross-sectional study the measurements of exposure and effect are made at the

same time.

Cross-Sectional Studies measure existing disease and current exposure levels.

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Classes: BMLT VI-A, BPH VI-A & BSN VI-W Lecturer: Hashim Ahmed
 Plasma University
College of Health Science
Research Methods

 
 Case-control studies

- Strat with people who have disease (cases)

- Match them with controls that don’t have disease

- Look back & assess exposure

 
Cohort studies

Is defined a group of people who share a common characteristic or experience with in

a defined time period (Age, Occupation, Exposure).

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Classes: BMLT VI-A, BPH VI-A & BSN VI-W Lecturer: Hashim Ahmed