As an epidemiologist, part of many scientific committees, I have yet to encounter a single meeting in which “case-control study” had not created a major turbulence. The biggest problem I realized is that everyone thinks they really know about case control study..and try to strongly protect their concepts..or in most cases “force upon” their concepts on other less powerful people. Lack of familiarity with other closely related study designs like “analytical cross sectional study”, prospective/retrospective cohort study” etc. further narrows down the exit roots for the researcher.
The following simple criteria and flow diagram can help us to demystify some of the confusion around case control study It contains two distinct study groups Usually conducted after the proposed outcome (effect) had already occurred Study groups are based on the effect or outcome (with and and without effect/outcome) Looks to compare the cause (Usually happened in the past or continues to operate from he past till present among the study groups with and without effect/outcome.
