Ask AI: Describe a case control study

A case control study is an observational study that compares the characteristics of a group of individuals with a certain outcome or disease (cases) to those of a similar group of individuals without the disease or outcome (controls). In a case control study, the researcher collects data on whether or not the individuals in each group were exposed to a particular factor, such as a particular drug or environmental toxin. This information is then used to calculate the odds ratio, a measure of the effect of the factor on the likelihood of the development of the disease or outcome. This type of study is advantageous because it allows researchers to examine the effects of a wide range of potential factors and is especially useful when the research population is limited in size or over a long period of time.