Describe briefly
Instruction:
I. Describe the type of study design that is most appropriate for each scenario and why
1.Outbreak of gastroenteritis has occurred among 80 attendees of a conference at Tourist Hotel. You have been asked to investigate this outbreak and identify the source, if possible. All of the attendees will remain at the hotel for 4 more days, so you can ask everyone to fill out a questionnaire about what they ate and drank.
2.One report presents four cases of human fascioliasis in Ethiopia. There are only few case reports of human fascioliasis in Ethiopia as the disease mostly affects animals. However, the need to be aware of the possibility of occurrence of this disease in humans and the inclusion of drugs used for treating the disease, in the Ethiopian drug list, should be emphasized.
3.The surveillance system has identified 23 confirmed cases of hepatitis A in a large community. Usually the community has only 1 or 2 cases in the same time period. The cases appear to live in different parts of the city. You have been asked to investigate this increase and identify the cause, if possible.
4.Investigators examine data from police records to identify crash factors associated with a driver fatality vs.driver non-fatality. The crash factors they consider are driver blood alcohol level, driver age and driver use of the seat belt
5.Researchers administered a questionnaire to all new students at paramed college. The questionnaire included questions about behaviors such as exercise, smoking, and alcohol consumption. The researchers plan to distribute follow-up questionnaires at graduation and every five years thereafter, asking about health events and conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
6.To investigate the relationship between egg consumption and heart disease, a group of patients admitted to a hospital with myocardial infarction were questioned about their egg consumption. Another group of patients admitted to a fracture clinic were also questioned about the egg consumption using an identical protocol.
7.To test the efficacy of vitamin C in preventing colds, students are randomly assigned to two groups: one given 500mg of vitamin C daily, and one given placebo. Both groups are followed to determine the number and severity of subsequent colds.
8.To investigate the relationship between certain solvents and cancer, all employees at a factory were questioned about their exposure to an industrial solvent, and the amount and length of exposure measured. These subjects were regularly monitored, and after 10 years a copy of the death certificate for all those who died was obtained.
9.A survey was conducted of all the physicians employed at a particular hospital. Among other questions, the questionnaire asked about the number of years in study and whether or not she/he was satisfied with her career prospects.
10.A study describes the clinical course of patients who have very rare neurological disorder. Patients are identified at a referral center that specializes in this disease. Their medical records are reviewed for patient characteristics and treatments and are then related to their current status.
1. The most appropriate study design for this scenario is a cross-sectional study. This is because the researchers can gather information from all the attendees of the conference at a single point in time by distributing the questionnaire. This allows for a quick assessment of the outbreak and identification of the source.
2. The most appropriate study design for this scenario is a case series study. This design involves describing and analyzing a series of cases with similar characteristics. In this case, the researchers are presenting four cases of human fascioliasis in Ethiopia, which is a rare occurrence. By analyzing these cases, they can provide valuable information about the disease and its occurrence in humans in Ethiopia.
3. The most appropriate study design for this scenario is a descriptive study. This design involves collecting information about a disease outbreak or health condition to describe its occurrence and distribution. In this case, the researchers have been asked to investigate the increase in hepatitis A cases and identify the cause. By collecting information from the confirmed cases in different parts of the city, they can describe the characteristics and distribution of the outbreak.
4. The most appropriate study design for this scenario is a case-control study. This design involves comparing individuals with a certain outcome (driver fatality) to individuals without the outcome (driver non-fatality) and identifying potential risk factors. In this case, the investigators are examining data from police records to identify crash factors associated with driver fatality. By considering factors such as blood alcohol level, age, and seat belt use, they can determine the risk factors for driver fatalities.
5. The most appropriate study design for this scenario is a cohort study. This design involves following a group of individuals over time to determine the relationship between exposures (such as exercise, smoking, and alcohol consumption) and health outcomes (such as diabetes and heart disease). In this case, the researchers plan to distribute follow-up questionnaires to the new students at paramed college at graduation and every five years thereafter to assess their health events and conditions.
6. The most appropriate study design for this scenario is a case-control study. This design involves comparing individuals with a certain outcome (myocardial infarction) to individuals without the outcome (fracture clinic patients) and identifying potential risk factors (such as egg consumption). By questioning the patients admitted to the hospital and the fracture clinic, the researchers can determine the relationship between egg consumption and heart disease.
7. The most appropriate study design for this scenario is a randomized controlled trial. This design involves randomly assigning participants to different groups and comparing the effects of an intervention (in this case, vitamin C) versus a control (placebo) on a specific outcome (preventing colds). By following both groups, the researchers can determine the efficacy of vitamin C in preventing colds.
8. The most appropriate study design for this scenario is a cohort study. This design involves following a group of individuals over time and measuring their exposure to potentially harmful substances (such as an industrial solvent) and their health outcomes (such as cancer). By questioning the employees at the factory about their exposure to the solvent and regularly monitoring them, the researchers can determine the relationship between solvent exposure and cancer.
9. The most appropriate study design for this scenario is a cross-sectional study. This design involves gathering information from a group of individuals at a single point in time. In this case, the researchers conducted a survey of all the physicians employed at a particular hospital and asked about their years in study and career prospects. This provides a snapshot of the physicians' characteristics and career satisfaction.
10. The most appropriate study design for this scenario is a retrospective cohort study. This design involves identifying a group of individuals with a specific condition (patients with a very rare neurological disorder) and reviewing their medical records to collect information about their characteristics, treatments, and current status. By analyzing the medical records, the researchers can describe the clinical course of the patients and the factors that may have influenced their current status.