Scenario Summary
Researcher A’s case-control study finds lower endometrial cancer rates among those who consume fruits and vegetables, while Researcher B’s cross-sectional study finds higher prostate cancer rates with fruit and vegetable consumption.
Comparison of Study Design Types
Case-control and cross-sectional studies have different methodologies and populations and are used for different purposes. Case-control studies determine the etiology of diseases, measuring how much a condition is likely to develop in people exposed to a certain risk factor (Harvey, 2019). This type of study does not estimate the prevalence of the disease, while cross-sectional studies provide this data.
Cross-sectional studies are utilized to “measure the prevalence of health outcomes, understand determinants of health, and describe features of a population” (Wang & Cheng, 2020, p. S65). This type of study observes the condition at a particular moment without identifying any temporal changes. Neither study design determines the incidence, so they do not measure the relative risk of the outcome.
Insights on the Relationship Between Cancer and Fruit and Vegetable Consumption
Case-Control Study
A case-control study concludes that people who consume fruits and vegetables are less likely to develop endometrial cancer than people who do not. The study design compares two population groups over a period, which allows for establishing associations between risk factors and the condition. Therefore, the researchers can conclude that there is a certain relationship between the consumption of fruits and vegetables and the occurrence of endometrial cancer. However, it is impossible to calculate a relative risk as the study design does not estimate incidence (Harvey, 2019). The study also does not establish temporal relationships between the factor and the outcome, so it is hard to say if the factor leads to the outcome or vice versa.
Cross-Sectional Study
A cross-sectional study concludes that the prevalence of prostate cancer among the studied population with fruit and vegetable consumption was higher than without. The research only gives information about a specific population that was a part of the study (Wang & Cheng, 2020). It is impossible to establish an association between the factor and the outcome.
It also cannot measure the incidence of the disease, which does not provide any data on the occurrence of cancer (Wang & Cheng, 2020). The study only concludes that a specific population at a particular time who consumed more fruits and vegetables had a higher number of people who had prostate cancer. The results may be further used for in-depth research on risk factors and the etiology of this type of cancer.
References
Harvey, L. A. (2019). Case-control studies: An efficient study design. Spinal Cord, 57, 1-2. Web.
Wang, X., & Cheng, Z. (2020). Cross-sectional studies: Strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations. Chest, 158(1S), S65-S71. Web.