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Which study type is that? A guide to study types

Study and experiment types for Health Sciences and Medicine

Cross-sectional study


Cross-sectional studies are observational studies that examine data from a population at a specific moment in time. They are commonly used to assess the prevalence of health conditions, identify health determinants, and characterise population traits. Unlike other observational studies, cross-sectional studies do not track individuals over a period of time. They are generally cost-effective and straightforward to perform, making them valuable for gathering initial evidence to inform future, more detailed studies (Wang et al, 2020).

cross-sectional study

Useful for addressing:

Frequency questions

Strengths and limitations

 

Strengths

  • Relatively quick and inexpensive to conduct
  • No ethical difficulties
  • Data on all variables are only collected at one time point
  • Multiple outcomes and exposures can be studied
  • Easy for generating hypotheses
  • Many findings can be used to create an in-depth research study

Limitations

  • Unable to measure the incidence
  • Difficult to make a causal inference
  • Associations identified might be difficult to interpret
  • Unable to investigate the temporal relation between outcomes and risk factors
  • Not good for studying rare diseases
  • Susceptible to biases such as nonresponse bias and recall bias

Wang, X., & Cheng, Z. (2020). Cross-sectional studies: strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations. Chest, 158(1), S65-S71

Further reading and resources

  • Downes, M. J., Brennan, M. L., Williams, H. C., & Dean, R. S. (2016). Development of a critical appraisal tool to assess the quality of cross-sectional studies (AXIS). BMJ open, 6(12), e011458. Full Text
     
  • Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP). What is a Cross-sectional study? casp-uk.net/news/what-is-a-cross-sectional-study  Link
     
  • Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). (2020). Critical appraisal checklist for analytical cross-sectional studies.  Checklist for Analytical Cross-sectional Studies. jbi.global/sites/default/files/2021-10/Checklist_for_Analytical_Cross_Sectional_Studies.docx  Download link
     
  • Setia M. S. (2016). Methodology Series Module 3: Cross-sectional Studies. Indian journal of dermatology, 61(3), 261–264. Full Text
     
  • Wang, X., & Cheng, Z. (2020). Cross-sectional studies: strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations. Chest, 158(1), S65-S71. Full Text

Example

Janson, C., Chinn, S., Jarvis, D., Zock, J. P., Torén, K., & Burney, P. (2001). Effect of passive smoking on respiratory symptoms, bronchial responsiveness, lung function, and total serum IgE in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey: a cross-sectional study. The Lancet, 358(9299), 2103-2109. Full Text

 

 


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