The STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) statement provides a 22-item checklist designed to improve the reporting of three main types of analytical observational studies

• Cohort Studies: Follows a group of people over time to see who develops a certain disease or outcome.

• Case-Control Studies: Compares people with a specific condition (cases) to those without it (controls) to identify exposures.

• Cross-Sectional Studies: Analyzes data from a population at a specific point in time to assess prevalence. 

Key Aspects of the STROBE Statement

• Checklist Items: The 22 items cover the title, abstract, introduction, methods, results, and discussion sections of a research article.

• Common & Specific Items: 18 items are common to all three designs, while four items (specifically regarding study design, participants, variables, and data sources) are specific to each of the three types.

• Purpose: The checklist is intended to ensure clear, transparent reporting of what was planned, done, and found in observational studies.

• Extensions: There are extensions available for specific types of research, such as the STROBE-metagenomics extension and the STREGA extension for genetic association studies.