Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) Practice Exam 2026 - Free CBIC Practice Questions and Study Guide

A case-control study functions by comparing individuals who have a specific disease or condition with those who do not have the disease. This methodology is retrospective, meaning that it looks back in time to analyze exposure to potential risk factors that may have contributed to the disease's occurrence. The study design is particularly useful for investigating rare diseases because it allows researchers to identify and analyze common characteristics or exposures among the affected individuals compared to those who are healthy.

In this type of study, the cases (individuals with the disease) are matched with controls (individuals without the disease) based on various factors, such as age, gender, or other variables, to ensure that comparisons are valid. By examining past exposures between the two groups, researchers can draw conclusions about potential relationships between specific risk factors and the disease. This method is an efficient way to generate hypotheses about causative factors, which can then be further evaluated in more extensive studies.