The nurse is conducting a cross-sectional study of people who are HIV positive and their exposure to certain risk factors. Given the nature of this type of study, which would be true? (Select all that apply.)

Question

A) Respondents are a sample that represents the entire population.
B) The results of the study will allow determination of cause and effect.
C) Data represent a point in time.
D) Data are gathered via a questionnaire or interview.
E) Subjects are randomly assigned to treatment and control groups.

Answer 1

Ans: A, C, D
Feedback:
Cross-sectional studies (prevalence studies) are an example of public health survey research. Survey research focuses on the collection of information regarding the status quo of some situation(s) by questionnaire or by interviews with a sample of respondents. The main principle of survey research is that the sample of respondents must represent the population from which it was drawn. In this type of study, the population to be studied is defined, and data are collected from members of the group about their disease and exposure status. The data represent a point in time; therefore, they provide a "snapshot" of the population. Cross-sectional studies are good for examining the relationship between a variable and a disease/condition but not for determining cause and effect, which requires the collection of data over time. Subjects are randomly assigned to treatment and control groups in randomized, control group intervention studies, not in cross-sectional studies.