What is a case-control study?

A case-control study is defined as a type of observational research that compares individuals who have a specific disease or condition (the cases) to those who do not have the disease (the controls) in order to identify potential risk factors associated with the disease. This approach allows researchers to look backward in time to see what exposures or characteristics may be linked to the condition, making it particularly useful for studying rare diseases or those that take a long time to manifest.

The strength of a case-control study lies in its ability to help identify associations between certain risk factors and the onset of a disease, allowing for the formulation of hypotheses that can be tested in further research. It is important in epidemiology for determining the causes and risk factors of diseases.

Other types of studies mentioned in the choices do not align with the case-control design. Long-term studies that follow groups over time are typically cohort studies. Experimental studies that involve random assignments refer to randomized controlled trials. Finally, studies focusing solely on plant diseases do not match the definition of a case-control study, which is centered on comparing human health outcomes.