From the Guidelines
The false statement regarding case-control studies is option ii, "More time consuming than cohort study." Case-control studies are actually less time consuming than cohort studies because they start with the outcome and look backward at exposures, eliminating the need to follow participants over time 1.
Key Characteristics of Case-Control Studies
- They are appropriate for studying rare outcomes (option i), as they allow researchers to specifically select cases with the rare condition rather than waiting for them to develop in a cohort.
- Multiple exposures can be examined in case-control studies (option iii), as researchers can collect data on various potential risk factors from both cases and controls.
- Case-control studies are also relatively inexpensive compared to cohort studies, which contradicts option iv, but the question asks which statement is false. The efficiency of case-control studies makes them valuable for initial investigations of disease etiology, particularly when resources are limited or when studying conditions with long latency periods, as noted in the context of selecting appropriate controls and considering the counterfactual condition 1.
Considerations for Study Design
- In case-control studies, individuals are selected based on their ultimate outcome status, which is generally the disease outcome of interest.
- This study design is particularly efficient for rare diseases or diseases with long lead times, highlighting the importance of careful control selection to ensure comparability.
From the Research
Case-Control Study Characteristics
- Appropriate for study of rare outcomes: This is a true statement, as case-control studies are often used to investigate rare outcomes or diseases 2.
- More time consuming than cohort study: This statement is false, as case-control studies are generally less time-consuming than cohort studies because they involve looking back in time to identify exposures that may have contributed to the outcome of interest.
- Multiple exposures can be examined: This is a true statement, as case-control studies can examine the relationship between multiple exposures and a single outcome 2.
- Relatively expensive compared to cohort study: This statement is false, as case-control studies are often less expensive than cohort studies because they do not require long-term follow-up of participants.
Comparison to Other Study Designs
- Case-control studies have distinct advantages and disadvantages compared to cohort studies, including the ability to study rare outcomes and multiple exposures, but also potential biases and limitations 2.
- Other study designs, such as randomized clinical trials, may be more suitable for evaluating the efficacy of specific interventions or treatments 3, 4, 5, 6.