The cohort study, a natural and straight-forward approach to medical research offers investigators another tool to evaluate medical treatments. All sorts of heath data are collected on a set of people who are then followed to see what happens to them over time. Background data on participants who develop a disease are compared to those without the disease in hopes of findings what may be the cause of the ailment. Two successful major cohort studies, the Framingham Heart Study and the Nurses Health Study are described so readers can appreciate the cohort technique. Disadvantages such as cost and possible bias because of participant dropouts are also covered.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Chapter 3 — The Cohort Study
Cited References
Cannon C, Braunwald E, McCabe C, et al. Intensive versus moderate lipid lowering with statins after acute coronary syndromes. New Engl J Med 2004:350;1495–1504.
Grodstein F. Stampfer M, Manson J, et al. Postmenopausal estrogen and progestin use and the risk of cardiovascular disease. New Engl J Med 1996:335;453–461.
Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. DOR in the news. http://www.dor.kaiser.org/dors/news/newshomepage.shtml#TopOfPage Mar 15, 2007.
National Institutes of Health. Framingham heart study. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/framing-ham/index.html Dec 21, 2002.
Stampfer M, Willett W, Colditz G, et al. A prospective study of postmenopausal estrogen therapy and coronary heart disease. New Engl J Med 1985:313;1044–1049.
Vaccarino V, Krumholz H. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease: one down, many more to evaluate. Ann Intern Med 1999:131;62–63.
General References
Black N. Why we need observational studies to evaluate the effectiveness of health care. Br Med J 1996:312;1215–1218.
Brody J. A study guide to scientific studies. New York Times Aug 11, 1998:7F.
Colditz G, Hankinson S, Hunter D, et al. The use of estrogens and progestins and the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. New Engl J Med 1995:332;1589–1593.
Colditz G, Rosner B, Speizer F. Risk factors for breast cancer according to family history of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer I 1996:88;1003–1004.
Felson D, Kiel D, Anderson J, et al. Alcohol consumption and hip fractures: the Framingham study. Amer J Epidemiol 1988:128;1102–1110.
Grady D, Hulley S. Hormones to prevent coronary disease in women: when are observational studies adequate evidence? Ann Intern Med 2000:133;999–1001.
Hankinson S, Manson J, Speizer F, et al. (eds). Healthy women, healthy lives: a guide to preventing disease, from the landmark Nurses' health study. New York: Simon&Schuster. 2001.
Harvard Medical School. Nurses' health study. http://www.channing. harvard.edu/nhs/index.html Feb 1, 2005.
Hu F, Bronner L, Willett W, et al. Dietary fat intake and the risk of coronary heart disease in women. New Engl J Med 1997:337;1491–1499.
Kolata G. New conclusions on cholesterol. New York Times Mar 9, 2004a:A1.
Kolata G. Scientists begin to question benefit of ‘good’ cholesterol. New York Times Mar 14, 2004b:A1.
National Institutes of Health. National cholesterol education program. http://www.nhlbi.nih. gov/guidelinescholesterol/atp3xsum.pdf/May 15, 2001.
Stampfer M, Colditz G, Willett W, et al. Postmenopausal estrogen therapy and cardiovascular disease. Ten-year follow-up from the nurses' health study. New Engl J Med 1991:325;756–762.
Szalavitz M. Risk: how HRT went from miracle therapy to health risk. STATS at George Mason University. http://www.stats.org/index.jsp Feb 27, 2006.
Szczcech L, Coladonato J, Owen W. Study designs and their potential influence on conclusions. Semin Dial 2002:15;207–211.
Talk of the Nation: Science Friday. Framingham heart study. http://www.sciencefriday.com/pages/1998/Sep/hour2_092598.html Sep 25, 1998.
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2009 Springer Science + Business Media B.V
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
(2009). The Cohort Study – Watchful Waiting. In: It's Great! Oops, No It Isn't. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8907-7_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8907-7_3
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-8906-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-8907-7
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)