What Is Cross Sectional Research

A cross sectional survey conducted among 761 individuals representing 479 farms in northeastern colorado between 1992 and 1997 found that exposure to pesticides in particular ops at levels sufficient to cause self reported poisoning symptoms was associated with a more than fivefold higher rate of depression independent of other known risk factors stallones and.

What is cross sectional research. Cross sectional research studies are based on observations that take place in different groups at one time. Characteristics of longitudinal study and cross sectional study. In other words data are collected on a snapshot basis as opposed to collecting data at multiple points in time for example once a week once a month etc and assessing how it changes over time.

Cross sectional studies are often used in developmental psychology but this method is also used in many other areas including social science and education. A longitudinal study goes on for a longer period of time. In medical research social science and biology a cross sectional study also known as a cross sectional analysis transverse study prevalence study is a type of observational study that analyzes data from a population or a representative subset at a specific point in time that is cross sectional data.

In economics cross sectional studies typically involve the use of cross sectional. What is a cross sectional study. The reason why it is known as the cross sectional study design is due to the information regarding x and y.

Cross sectional design is one of the most well known and commonly used study designs in this kind of study the subset of the population or the whole population is chosen and from the selected participants data is gathered for the purpose of helping answer research questions of interest. The opposite of a cross sectional study is a longitudinal study while cross sectional studies collect data from many subjects at a single point in time longitudinal studies collect data repeatedly from the same subjects over time often focusing on a smaller group of individuals that are connected by a common trait. A cross sectional study also referred to as cross sectional research is simply a study in which data are collected at one point in time.

Cross sectional vs longitudinal studies. This study type is also known as cross sectional analysis transverse study or prevalence study. Therefore a longitudinal study is more likely to suggest cause and effect relationships than a cross sectional study by virtue of its scope.

A cross sectional study is defined as a type of observational research that analyzes data of variables collected at one given point in time across a sample population or a pre defined subset. But sometimes the progression of the research helps determine which design is most appropriate. In general the research should drive the design.