In a study of acupuncture for treating pain 100 patients were recruited. Half were randomly assigned to receive acupuncture and the other half to receive a sham acupuncture treatment. The patients were followed for 6 months and the degree of pain relief measured. The patients did not know which treatment they actually received, but the treating physicians were aware of who was getting acupuncture and who wasn't. Which of the following does not apply to this study?
A) Randomized Experiment
B) Retrospective Study
C) Placebo Control
D) Single Blind

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This study is a randomized experiment because patients were randomly assigned to treatment groups. It includes a placebo control through the use of sham acupuncture. It is single-blind because the patients were unaware of their treatment group, but not double-blind since the physicians knew. It is not a retrospective study because it prospectively follows patients over time after assigning treatments, rather than looking back at past data.

In a Study of Acupuncture for Treating Pain 100 Patients