Which type of study compares individuals with a condition to those without a condition?

The selected answer is a case control study, which is indeed the appropriate choice for the question.

Case control studies are specifically designed to compare individuals who have a particular condition (the cases) with those who do not have the condition (the controls). This type of study is useful for identifying potential risk factors or causes of a disease or condition by retrospectively examining the differences in exposure to certain variables between the two groups.

In conducting case control studies, researchers collect past exposure information from the subjects, allowing for the analysis of the relationship between the condition and various risk factors. This method is especially valuable when studying rare diseases or conditions, as it focuses on a defined population that already experiences the condition rather than analyzing a broader population over time.

The other study types mentioned are focused on different methodologies. Prospective cohort studies follow individuals over time to see if they develop a condition based on their exposure to certain risk factors. Retrospective cohort studies look back at existing data to compare outcomes between groups based on their past exposures but do not isolate cases and controls in the same manner. Cross-sectional studies assess data at a single point in time and do not establish a temporal relationship or allow for the direct comparison of individuals with and without a condition. Thus, case