A study comparing diseased subjects to a control group is known as what type of study?

A study that compares diseased subjects to a control group is termed a case-control study. This design is particularly effective when investigating the association between a condition or disease and potential risk factors. In a case-control study, researchers select two groups: one group contains individuals who have the disease (the cases) and the other group consists of individuals who do not have the disease (the controls).

The primary goal is to retrospectively determine whether certain exposures or risk factors are more prevalent in the case group compared to the control group. By evaluating the differences in exposure between the two groups, researchers can gain insights into potential causal relationships. This study design is advantageous because it allows for the examination of rare diseases and is generally quicker and less expensive than other study types, such as cohort studies.

Other study options do not reflect the specific characteristics of comparing diseased and non-diseased groups. A field study typically involves observational research conducted in a natural setting, an experimental study involves manipulation of variables to determine cause and effect, and a descriptive study focuses on describing characteristics without necessarily making causal inferences.