Case-control Design

A case-control design is a type of observational study used in medical research to identify potential risk factors. It starts with the selection of subjects who have a particular condition or disease (the cases) and a similar group of subjects without the condition (the controls). The two groups are then compared to see if there are any differences that can be linked to the risk of developing the condition. This type of design is useful in identifying risk factors for rare diseases, diseases with a long latency period and when conducting retrospective studies. It is also relatively inexpensive and can be completed in a short amount of time.