In a case-control study, the group that has the disease is referred to as the

• A. A cross-sectional survey
• B. A randomized trial
• C. A study that compares individuals with a disease to those without
• D. A study that follows exposed and non-exposed groups over time

Answer: (C)

In a case-control study, you categorize participants by disease status and then look back to compare exposures. The group that has the disease is called the cases, while those without the disease are the controls. The option described as comparing individuals with a disease to those without best fits the case-control approach, since this design hinges on contrasting disease (cases) with non-disease (controls) to explore associations with past exposures. The other options point to different study designs—cross-sectional surveys assess a single point in time, randomized trials involve random allocation to exposure, and cohort studies follow exposed and non-exposed groups over time. So, the choice that captures the essence of comparing diseased versus non-diseased individuals aligns with the case-control framework.