Subjects are recruited from one centre only, and outcome observed over future time. There may also be a comparison group to assess a cause effect relationship from some putative causal factor. The subjects are classified into exposure classes before the follow uo period starts. The comparison group may be internal or external.
As the name shows, all the study participants are selected from a single centre. They are divided into two (or more) categories based on exposed or not exposed to a particular risk factor. Both groups should be free from the outcome (e.g. disease) at baseline. Both groups are followed up from the present time to the future to see what proportion of people develop the outcome. This measure is called the relative risk of developing a disease or health condition. Relative risk is the ratio of the incidence of disease among exposed divided by the incidence of disease among non-exposed.
A single-center prospective cohort study is type of observational research that follows a group of individuals over time, they are all from the same location, (the "single center"). The study is designed to prospectively assess the relationship between an exposure (such as a new treatment or a risk factor) and an outcome (such as disease development or survival).
The advantage of this study is the ability to provide strong evidence for causal relationships between exposures and outcomes, and can control for potential confounding variables, but may not be generalizable to other populations or settings.
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