Study Setting Section
STROBE asks observational-study reports to describe the setting, locations, and relevant dates, including periods such as recruitment, exposure, follow-up, and data collection where applicable. STROBE is an observational-study reporting guideline, not a universal template. Many papers place this information inside a broader Methods section rather than under a standalone “Study Setting” heading.
A Study Setting section tells readers where and under what relevant contextual and time conditions the study took place.
Key details
Important caveats
Scope Boundary
STROBE is an observational-study reporting guideline, not a universal template. Many papers place this information inside a broader Methods section rather than under a standalone “Study Setting” heading.
Further guidance
Content
Identify the setting and locations that affect interpretation, and give the relevant study periods or dates when they matter to recruitment, exposure, follow-up, or data collection.
Practical Application
State the setting with the contextual details that materially affect interpretation: location or care environment, relevant institutional context, and study period when required by the reporting guideline.
Purpose
A Study Setting section tells readers where and under what relevant contextual and time conditions the study took place.
Reader Check
Could a reader understand where and under what relevant conditions the study occurred without inferring them from an affiliation or table?
Worked Example
Example: “The study was conducted in three urban primary-care clinics in Assam, India, from January through June 2025.” Include only setting details that are accurate and relevant to the study.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE): Explanation and Elaboration (opens in a new tab)PLOS Medicine / STROBE Initiative · Primary reporting-guideline evidence for observational-study setting, study size, bias, participant flow, and statistical handling including missing data and confounding.