Randomization Strategies.

Abstract

An understanding of randomization is important both for study design and to assist medical professionals in evaluating the medical literature. Simple randomization can be done through a variety of techniques, but carries a risk of unequal distribution of subjects into treatment groups. Block randomization can be used to overcome this limitation by ensuring that small subgroups are distributed evenly between treatment groups. Finally, techniques can be used to evenly distribute subjects between treatment groups while accounting for confounding variables, so as to not skew results when there is a high index of suspicion that a particular variable will influence outcome.