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Which study type is that? A guide to study types

Study and experiment types for Health Sciences and Medicine

Ecological study


An ecological study in health and medicine is a type of observational study that examines the relationships between exposure and health outcomes at the population or group level, rather than at the individual level. This means they can't make conclusions about individual people. These studies are useful because they can be done quickly and easily using existing data. Researchers look for connections between possible risk factors and different health outcomes. Ecological studies are especially helpful for understanding how common or rare diseases are in a population.

 

Ecological study

 

Types of ecological studies

  • Cross-sectional ecological studies: Compare aggregate exposures and outcomes over the same time period.
  • Time-trend ecological studies: Examine changes in exposures and outcomes over time within the same population.
  • Descriptive ecological studies: Describe patterns of exposure and outcomes without making comparisons

Further reading and resources

  • Alexander, L. K., Lopes, B., Ricchetti-Masterson, K., & Yeatts, K. B. (2015). Ecologic studies. UNC CH Department of Epidemiology. Full Text
     
  • Levin, K. Study Design VI - Ecological Studies. Evid Based Dent 7, 108 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ebd.6400454 Full Text
     
  • Morgenstern H. Ecologic studies in epidemiology: concepts, principles, and methods. Annu Rev Public Health. 1995;16:61-81. doi: 10.1146/annurev.pu.16.050195.000425. PMID: 7639884. Full Text
     
  • Setia MS. Methodology Series Module 7: Ecologic Studies and Natural Experiments. Indian J Dermatol. 2017 Jan-Feb;62(1):25-28. doi: 10.4103/0019-5154.198048. PMID: 28216721; PMCID: PMC5286749. Full Text
     
  • Wakefield, J. (2008). Ecologic studies revisited. Annu. Rev. Public Health, 29(1), 75-90. Full Text

Example

Hawkins, D. (2020). Social determinants of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, United States: an ecological study. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, 53(4), 220. Full Text

 

 


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