The clinical relevance of observational research

Abstract

In this review we have described some uses of observational research, and some of its limitations. The examples given have shown that observational studies can be an ethical and practical method of inquiry. The major uses of observational research include determining the incidence and prevalence of disease, aspects of disease aetiology, the effect of exposure to known hazards, and the application of diagnostic tests in the clinical setting. Observational studies are most useful to the emergency physician for determining the performance of diagnostic strategies. As this is a specialty where clinicians have just a single diagnostic opportunity, high quality observational studies must continue to help develop evidence based emergency medicine.