retrospective study

A retrospective study is a research method that looks back at existing data to examine how certain factors may have influenced outcomes. Instead of following people forward in time, researchers analyze past records, such as medical histories or survey results, to identify patterns or relationships. This approach is useful for studying rare conditions or long-term effects, but it can be limited by the quality and completeness of the historical data. Overall, retrospective studies help researchers understand connections between exposures and outcomes without the need for long-term, real-time tracking.