Outcome Types in cohort studies typically include which of the following?

• A. Only mortality
• B. Clinical events; lab markers; healthcare utilization
• C. Genetic markers only
• D. Patient satisfaction scores

Answer: (B)

In cohort studies, outcomes are the various events or measurements you follow people over time to observe. A well-designed cohort often looks at a broad mix of outcomes to capture both health events and underlying biology, giving a fuller picture of how an exposure affects people.

That’s why the best answer includes clinical events, laboratory markers, and healthcare utilization. You might track new diagnoses or complications (clinical events), changes in lab values that reflect biological processes (lab markers), and patterns like hospital visits or admissions (healthcare utilization). Together these provide a comprehensive view of impact over time.

Focusing on mortality alone is too narrow because many studies examine more than just death, including nonfatal events and biological changes. Genetic markers by themselves aren’t typical outcomes; they’re often exposures or predictors, or used alongside outcomes. Patient satisfaction scores can be outcomes in some contexts but are not representative of the standard range of outcomes typically used in cohort research.