Observational Studies

In observational studies, the researcher tests the association between a given risk factor or a therapeutic intervention under normal circumstances. These studies give us a better understanding of what can actually happens in real clinical settings rather than in controlled research facilities. As a clinician, you would need to evaluate the quality of these studies before trusting their results, and subsequently, guide your clinical-decision.

Workshop items:

• Types of Observational studies:

  • Cohort study

  • Cross sectional study

  • Case control study

  • Nested case control 

  • Case cross-over 

  • Ecological studies

• Advantages and disadvantages of each design

• Risks of bias

  • Selection bias

  • Information bias

  • Confounding bias

  • Simpson’s Paradox bias

  • Others biases

• Tools used for critical appraisal of observational studies

• Outcome Measures (Relative Risk, Odds Ratio, Hazard Ratio)

• Critical Appraisal