Retrospective study

Retrospective study

A Retrospective study is a type of observational study that involves the investigation of existing data, or records from the past. It is also known as a historical study.

Overview

Retrospective studies are used in medicine, psychology, sociology, epidemiology, and history, among other fields. They can be used to study risk factors, identify trends, and establish associations between variables.

Methodology

In a retrospective study, researchers start by defining a group of individuals based on their outcome status. Then, they look back in time to identify the characteristics or exposures that might be associated with that outcome. The data used in these studies can come from medical records, surveys, or interviews, among other sources.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Retrospective studies have several advantages. They are usually quicker and cheaper to perform than prospective studies, as the data has already been collected. They can also be used to study rare diseases or outcomes, as they can include cases that have occurred over a long period of time.

However, retrospective studies also have several disadvantages. They are prone to selection bias and information bias, as the data was not collected with the specific study in mind. They can also be affected by confounding variables, as it is often not possible to control for all potential confounders in the analysis.

Examples

One example of a retrospective study is a case-control study, where individuals with a certain outcome (the cases) are compared to individuals without that outcome (the controls) to identify factors that might have influenced the outcome.

Another example is a cohort study, where a group of individuals with a certain exposure is compared to a group without that exposure to see if the exposure is associated with an increased risk of the outcome.

See also

• Prospective study
• Cross-sectional study
• Longitudinal study
• Case-control study
• Cohort study

Retrospective study Resources
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