Observational clinical study [Neurosurgery Wiki]

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====== Observational clinical study ======
Observational clinical studies are broader in scope and can encompass various study designs, including [[cross-sectional observational study]]. They focus on observing and collecting data on patients or study participants in a clinical or healthcare setting.
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Researchers observe and collect data without intervening or manipulating the study environment. These studies are further divided into subtypes:

[[Descriptive Study]]: Focus on describing the occurrence of diseases or conditions in terms of time, place, and person (e.g., case reports, case series, and cross-sectional studies).

[[Case Report]]s and [[Case Series]]: Describe individual cases or a series of cases to illustrate an unusual condition or outcome.

[[Cross-Sectional Study]]: Examine the prevalence of a disease or condition in a specific population at a single point in time.

[[Analytical Study]]: Aim to explore the relationship between risk factors and diseases or health outcomes.

[[Cohort Study]]: Involves identifying two groups (cohorts)—one exposed to a potential risk factor and another unexposed—and following them over time to compare the incidence of disease or health outcomes.

[[Case-Control Study]]: Compares individuals with a specific disease or condition (cases) to those without (controls) to identify factors that may have contributed to the development of the disease.

Ecological Studies: Focus on populations or groups rather than individuals, examining relationships between exposure and disease across different groups or regions.
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A cross-sectional [[study]] is a type of [[observational clinical study]], and the key difference between the two lies in their scope and design:

===== Design =====
Observational clinical studies can be cross-sectional (as mentioned above) or [[Longitudinal observational cohort study]], where data is collected over an extended period to examine changes and trends in a population. These studies do not involve experimental interventions or manipulations but rather gather data through observations, surveys, medical records, or interviews.
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===== Example =====
An observational clinical study could involve tracking the health outcomes of a group of patients with a specific medical condition over several years without intervening in their treatment. This study could use various designs, including cross-sectional assessments during different time points to examine the evolution of the disease.


===== Prospective observational study =====
[[Prospective observational study]].