Cross-sectional studies

Cross-sectional studies, unlike cohort and case control studies, boil down to analyzing the occurrence of a specific disease (and its size) within a given population at a single, precisely defined point in time – they provide a general “picture” of a given populations health status at the time of the study.

Application of cross-sectional studies

Cross-sectional studies:

• Allow the assessment of the health status of a population (e.g. the percentage of people with a given ailment);
• Allow comparison of factors determining the incidence of a given disease in two distinct groups: exposed and not exposed to the disease;
• Help develop an assessment of the need for medical care among members of the study population;

They facilitate the measurement of the prevalence of the disease phenomena in question.

Methodology of cross-sectional studies

Cross-sectional studies are usually done through questionnaires or interviews, conducted with the respondents or their families. In addition, the knowledge gained is further enhanced by reviewing the history of the disease or the results of additional medical research performed to gain further knowledge.

Expected benefits

Cross-sectional studies are considered as the most convenient of the basics steps that lead to finding the cause of morbidity within a population – because of this, they are widely used in public health analyses. The most important advantages of this type of study are:

• Parallel measurement of several potential causal factors,
• Simultaneous assessment of exposure risk factors and health status,
• Simple scheme of measurement, cost effective research methods,
• Relatively short waiting time for the final results of the observation,
• Representative of the general population,
• Possibility to generate research hypotheses.

Why should you outsource your cross-sectional studies to us?

As an experienced participant in the medical research market, we provide a professional implementation of in-depth cross-sectional studies and analyses. We encourage you to contact us for details of possible cooperation.