Historic cohort study

A Historic cohort study (pronunciation: his-tor-ic co-hort stu-dy) is a type of observational study that involves the identification of two groups (cohorts) of individuals, one which has been exposed to a certain risk factor and another which has not, and following these cohorts forward for the outcome of interest.

Etymology

The term "cohort" is derived from the Latin word cohors, which means "group". In the context of epidemiology, it refers to a group of people who share a common characteristic or experience within a defined period. The term "historic" refers to the retrospective nature of this type of study, where the data is collected from past records and the cohorts are followed from a point in the past to the present.

Methodology

In a historic cohort study, the investigator identifies the original exposure status at some point in the past and follows the cohort up to the present. The outcome of interest is then compared between the exposed and unexposed groups. This type of study is often used when the exposure is rare, but the outcome is common. It is also used when the latency period between the exposure and outcome is long.

Related Terms

Cohort study: A type of observational study where a group of individuals (a cohort) is followed over time.
Prospective cohort study: A type of cohort study where individuals are followed from the present time into the future.
Retrospective cohort study: A type of cohort study where individuals are followed from a point in the past to the present.
Risk factor: A characteristic, condition, or behavior that increases the likelihood of getting a disease or injury.
Observational study: A type of study in which individuals are observed or certain outcomes are measured, without any attempt to affect the outcome.

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Historic cohort study
Wikipedia's article - Historic cohort study

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Historic cohort study