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Pathology · single question

A group of smokers is followed for 8 years to determine the incidence of oral cancer. What type of study design is this?

  1. Cohort study (prospective follow-up study measuring incidence and relative risk)
  2. Cross-sectional study (measures prevalence at a single point in time)
  3. Case-control study (compares those with disease to those without; uses odds ratio)
  4. Randomized controlled trial
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Correct answer: A. Cohort study (prospective follow-up study measuring incidence and relative risk)

This study design is a cohort study (also called a longitudinal or follow-up study). Key features: (1) a group (cohort) with a defined exposure (smoking) is identified at the start; (2) they are followed over time (8 years); (3) the incidence of the outcome (cancer) is measured; (4) the study calculates relative risk (RR) to quantify the association. Cross-sectional studies measure prevalence at one point in time. Case-control studies start with people who already have the disease and compare them to controls, measuring odds ratios. RCTs involve random assignment to intervention groups.

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