🧪 Design (Clinical Research)
Design refers to:
The structured plan or framework that defines how a clinical or scientific study is conducted to answer a specific research question.
🔍 Key Components of Study Design
- 🎯 Objective – The aim or hypothesis of the study
- 🧠 Type of study – e.g., observational, interventional, prospective, retrospective
- 👥 Population – Inclusion/exclusion criteria, demographics
- 🧪 Intervention or Exposure – What is tested or observed
- 📊 Comparison group – Control, placebo, or alternative exposure
- 📈 Outcome measures – Defined primary and secondary endpoints
- 🔍 Blinding and allocation – Methods to reduce bias
🎓 Common Study Designs
| Study Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) | Participants are randomly assigned to intervention or control groups |
| Cohort Study | Observes outcomes in exposed vs. non-exposed individuals over time |
| Case-Control Study | Retrospective comparison of patients with and without an outcome |
| Cross-Sectional Study | Analyzes data at a single point in time |
| Retrospective Study | Uses existing data to examine past events |
| Systematic Review / Meta-analysis | Aggregates data from multiple studies to derive stronger evidence |