Clinical study design
Clinical study design is a branch of medical research that involves the scientific investigation of health and disease in human subjects. It is a key component of evidence-based medicine and plays a crucial role in the development of new treatments and interventions.
Pronunciation
- Clinical: /ˈklɪnɪkəl/
- Study: /ˈstʌdi/
- Design: /dɪˈzaɪn/
Etymology
The term "clinical" comes from the Greek word "klinike" meaning "bedside". "Study" originates from the Latin "studium" meaning "zeal, eagerness". "Design" is derived from the Latin "designare" meaning "to mark out".
Definition
A clinical study design is a plan or strategy devised to assess the effects of a medical intervention or treatment on biomedical or health outcomes. This plan is used to answer specific research questions and to test the validity of the hypotheses.
Types of Clinical Study Design
There are several types of clinical study designs, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. These include:
- Randomized controlled trial (RCT): This is considered the gold standard in clinical study design. Participants are randomly assigned to either the treatment or control group to minimize bias.
- Observational study: In this type of study, researchers observe the effect of a risk factor, diagnostic test, treatment, or other intervention without trying to change who is or isn't exposed to it.
- Cohort study: This is a type of observational study where a group of people with a certain characteristic or exposure is followed over time to see how it affects the development of a particular outcome.
- Case-control study: This is another type of observational study where two existing groups differing in outcome are identified and compared on the basis of some supposed causal attribute.
- Cross-sectional study: This type of study involves looking at data from a population at one specific point in time.
Related Terms
- Bias: This refers to systematic errors in the design, conduct, or analysis of a study that can lead to incorrect conclusions.
- Blinding: This is a technique used in research to prevent knowledge of the assigned intervention from influencing the behavior of the researcher or participant.
- Confounding: This occurs when the effect of one factor on an outcome is mixed up with the effect of another factor.
- Epidemiology: This is the study of how often diseases occur in different groups of people and why.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Clinical study design
- Wikipedia's article - Clinical study design
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