Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Sample size estimation for cluster randomized controlled trials.

Daniel Cury Ribeiro1, Stephan Milosavljevic2, J Haxby Abbott3

  • 1School of Physiotherapy, Centre for Health, Activity and Rehabilitation Research, University of Otago, New Zealand.

Musculoskeletal Science & Practice
|October 18, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Does mental health mediate the effect of nonsurgical exposures on pain and functional outcomes in osteoarthritis? A systematic review.

Osteoarthritis and cartilage·2026
Same author

Moderators of the Effects of Exercise and Manual Therapy for People With Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Arthritis care & research·2026
Same author

Effects of Preferred Music on Pain Tolerance During an Experimental Cold Pressor Test: A Pilot Study.

Cureus·2026
Same author

Spatial equity of physiotherapy accessibility in Aotearoa New Zealand in relation to Māori and Pacific ethnicity, socioeconomic deprivation, and rurality.

Health policy (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2025
Same author

Validity of the Global Rating of Change in patients with chronic low back pain.

Musculoskeletal science & practice·2025
Same author

Effectiveness of interventions for the management of multimorbidity in primary care and community settings: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Family practice·2025

This technical note addresses challenges in cluster randomized controlled trials (cRCTs) with unequal cluster sizes. It provides methods for sample size estimation and design optimization in these complex clinical research studies.

Area of Science:

  • Clinical Trials Methodology
  • Biostatistics
  • Public Health Research

Background:

  • Cluster randomized controlled trials (cRCTs) are frequently employed in clinical research.
  • Advantages include reduced contamination, improved efficiency, and enhanced participant compliance.
  • A key challenge is managing unequal participant numbers across cluster units.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present methods for estimating sample size in cRCTs with unequal cluster sizes.
  • To offer strategies for optimizing the overall design of cluster trials.
  • To aid clinical researchers in overcoming common design challenges.

Main Methods:

  • Discussion of statistical approaches for sample size calculation.
  • Exploration of design optimization techniques for cluster trials.
Keywords:
Cluster randomized trialDesign effectSample sizeUnequal cluster size

Related Experiment Videos

  • Focus on addressing variability in cluster sizes.

    • Main Results:

    • Provides practical guidance on sample size estimation for unequal cluster sizes.
    • Outlines strategies to improve the efficiency and validity of cRCT designs.
    • Offers solutions for common design complexities in cluster trials.

    Conclusions:

    • Accurate sample size estimation is crucial for cRCTs with varying cluster sizes.
    • Optimized trial designs enhance the reliability and feasibility of cluster-based research.
    • This note equips researchers with tools to effectively design and analyze cRCTs.