Cross Sectional Disadvantages

Since cross sectional studies only study a single moment in time they cannot be used to analyze behavior over a period.

Cross sectional disadvantages. It is an affordable study method. A correctly structured cross sectional study. A researcher s personal bias can influence the data from cross sectional studies.

Two distinct variables are measured at the same point in time. In the article by sedgwick p a cross sectional study conducted over a long period of time more than one year may not be ideal for a cross sectional design. Although cross sectional studies are done within a specified time frame at specified populations or across geographical areas there could be problems related to prolonged duration of the studies.

Everyone has particular biases. List of the advantages of a cross sectional study. It provides good controls over the measurement process.

It is possible to record exposure to many risk factors and to assess more than one outcome in a cross sectional study. It offers a completeness with key data. This is because such studies offer a snapshot of a single moment in time.

Cross sectional studies may involve special data collection including questions about the past but they often rely on data originally collected for other purposes. Cannot be used to analyze behavior over a period to time does not help determine cause and effect the timing of the snapshot is not guaranteed to be representative findings can be flawed or skewed if there is a conflict of interest with the funding. It requires the entire population to be studied to create useful data.

They are moderately expensive and are not suitable for the study of rare diseases. However cross sectional studies may not provide definite information about cause and effect relationships. The disadvantages of cross sectional study include.