Strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology

Overview

Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) is an initiative aimed at improving the quality of reporting in observational studies. Observational studies are a key component of epidemiological research, providing insights into the relationships between exposures and outcomes in real-world settings. The STROBE guidelines provide a checklist of items that should be included in reports of observational studies to ensure clarity, transparency, and reproducibility.

Background

Observational studies, including cohort studies, case-control studies, and cross-sectional studies, are essential for understanding the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations. However, the quality of reporting in these studies has historically been variable, leading to challenges in assessing the validity and applicability of the findings.

The STROBE initiative was developed by a group of epidemiologists, methodologists, statisticians, and journal editors to address these issues. The guidelines were first published in 2007 and have since been widely adopted by journals and researchers worldwide.

STROBE Checklist

The STROBE checklist consists of 22 items that cover various aspects of study design, analysis, and interpretation. These items are organized into sections corresponding to the structure of a typical research article:

Title and Abstract

- Indicate the study's design with a commonly used term in the title or the abstract.

Introduction

- Explain the scientific background and rationale for the investigation being reported. - State specific objectives, including any prespecified hypotheses.

Methods

- Present key elements of study design early in the paper. - Describe the setting, locations, and relevant dates, including periods of recruitment, exposure, follow-up, and data collection. - Define all variables and describe any assessment methods. - Describe statistical methods with enough detail to enable a knowledgeable reader with access to the original data to verify the reported results.

Results

- Report numbers of individuals at each stage of the study. - Give reasons for non-participation at each stage. - Consider use of a flow diagram.

Discussion

- Summarize key results with reference to study objectives. - Discuss limitations of the study, taking into account sources of potential bias or imprecision. - Give a cautious overall interpretation of results considering objectives, limitations, multiplicity of analyses, results from similar studies, and other relevant evidence.

Impact

The adoption of the STROBE guidelines has led to improvements in the reporting quality of observational studies. Many journals now require authors to adhere to these guidelines when submitting manuscripts. This has facilitated better understanding and evaluation of research findings by readers, reviewers, and policymakers.

Related pages

• Epidemiology
• Cohort study
• Case-control study
• Cross-sectional study
• Reporting guidelines

See also

• CONSORT
• PRISMA
• EQUATOR Network