Determine what type of observational study is described. Explain.
-A researcher wanted to determine whether women with children are more likely to develop anxiety disorders than women without children. She selected a sample of 900 twenty-year old women and followed them for a twenty-year period. At the start of the study, none of the women had children. By the end of the study 53% of the women had at least one child. The level of anxiety of each participant was evaluated at the beginning and at the end of the study and the increase (or decrease) in anxiety was recorded. The researchers analyzed the results to determine whether there was an association between anxiety and having children.
A) retrospective; Individuals are asked to look back in time.
B) cohort; Individuals are observed over a long period of time.
C) cross-sectional; Information is collected at a specific point in time.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is a cohort study because it involves following a group of individuals (a cohort of twenty-year-old women) over a period of time (twenty years) to observe the outcomes (changes in anxiety levels) in relation to an exposure (having children).

Determine What Type of Observational Study Is Described