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An Introduction to Epidemiology pp 128–167Cite as

Case-Control Studies

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Consideration of case-control studies introduces the first category of study that is essentially hypothesis-testing in aim. (Hypothesis-testing studies may also be referred to as analytic or a priori studies.) A major difference from surveys is the requirement to collect information about the past from respondents in case-control studies. The collection of data on the past introduces an additional dimension to the study design and permits a wide range of issues to be explored. At the same time, it has an important bearing upon the validity of the data that can be collected; this is discussed further in subsection 5.2.5. Because the retrospective nature was felt to be an important part of case-control studies and related to major issues of validity, the expression ‘retrospective study’ was used to describe this method. Unfortunately other terms are also used for such studies: case-referent, case-compeer, and trohoc; such multiplicity of expression can cause confusion and the general use of the term case-control is therefore advocated. (‘Retrospective study’ can also refer to other categories of study that do not involve controls.)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, UK

    Michael Alderson (Chief Medical Statistician)

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  1. Michael Alderson
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© 1983 Michael Alderson

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Alderson, M. (1983). Case-Control Studies. In: An Introduction to Epidemiology. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-17291-7_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-17291-7_5

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