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Study design synopsis: Observational study design in equine research
Author(s) -
Lawson April,
Pinchbeck Gina
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
equine veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.82
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 2042-3306
pISSN - 0425-1644
DOI - 10.1111/evj.13427
Subject(s) - observational study , research design , clinical study design , medicine , value (mathematics) , management science , risk analysis (engineering) , computer science , engineering , pathology , clinical trial , mathematics , statistics , machine learning
When planning to conduct research, thorough consideration of the study design is essential to enable valid results and purposeful conclusions. A good study design will provide a strong basis for robust conclusions that can contribute to the evidence base. Conversely, a poor study design may unintentionally lead to invalid conclusions with inappropriate claims of the clinical importance. The purpose of this article is to review important aspects of observational study design, with an emphasis on observational clinical research. The value of an observational study can be manifold and the benefit of studying clinical cases can add substantial value to the evidence base and equine health and welfare, however this value will be diminished if study designs are flawed, or are inadequately reported. It is essential that clinicians have the skills to critically appraise observational studies, to determine strengths, limitations and the applicability to their clinical practice.