Prospective Study

A prospective study is a research approach that follows a group of people over time to observe how specific factors affect their health or outcomes. Researchers start with participants who don’t have the condition or outcome being studied and collect data on their exposures or behaviors. Then, they monitor these individuals into the future to see who develops the condition. This method helps identify potential causes or risk factors, providing stronger evidence of links between variables than some other study types. It’s often used in medical research to understand disease development and prevention strategies.