A set of people born during a specific time period; also a set of people born during a historical era that creates different inter-cohort characteristics such as size, composition, experiences and values. The term “cohort” has been broadened to describe any designated group of persons who are followed or traced over a period of time.
An observational study in which outcomes in a group of participants that received an intervention are compared with outcomes in a similar group (i.e. the cohort) of participants, either contemporary or historical, that did not receive the intervention. In an adjusted (or matched) cohort study, investigators identify (or make statistical adjustments to provide) a cohort group that has characteristics (e.g. age, gender, disease severity) that are as similar as possible to the group that experienced the intervention.... cohort study
Health Encyclopedia