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STROBE Flow Diagram

Observational-study participant flow analogous to CONSORT.

A free, animated strobe flow diagram you can read here or embed on any website, from Scrollchart.

STROBE Flow Diagram

STROBE Flow DiagramObservational-study participant flow: source population to exposed and unexposed analysis setsSource populationCatchment registryn = 12,480EligibleMet inclusion criterian = 8,420EnrolledConsented and baseline measuredn = 6,105Excluded n = 4,060Outside age window or wrong regionExcluded n = 2,315Declined consent or unreachableExcluded n = 612Lost before exposure ascertainmentExposed cohortFollowed prospectivelyn = 2,140 analyzedUnexposed cohortFollowed prospectivelyn = 3,353 analyzedAnalysis setIncidence rate per armRisk ratio and 95% CIAdjusted hazard ratioSensitivity analysesMissing-data handlingSTROBE item 13: report numbers at each stage; total losses = 6,987 of 12,480 (56%)

Vertical flow for observational studies: source population -> eligible -> enrolled -> exposed/unexposed -> analyzed. Excluded counts and reasons at each stage. The observational analogue to CONSORT.

Good for

  • Cohort-study methods sections and STROBE-compliant manuscripts
  • Registry and electronic-health-record analyses with stepwise exclusions
  • Teaching selection bias and attrition in observational epidemiology

Source & accuracy

This strobe flow diagram is an editorial illustration built to represent the concept accurately. Where it shows figures, they are typical or representative values chosen to make the relationship clear, not a single underlying dataset. The diagram and its explainer are reviewed and maintained centrally, and updated over time as understanding improves.

What STROBE covers

STROBE stands for Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology. It is a checklist and reporting guideline for the three main observational designs: cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies. Unlike a randomized trial, an observational study does not assign exposures, so STROBE focuses on describing how participants were selected, measured, and analyzed.

The participant flow diagram tracks numbers at each stage: those eligible, those included, those examined, and those lost to follow-up. It is the observational analogue of the CONSORT flow diagram used for randomized controlled trials.

Why participant flow matters in observational research

Observational studies are vulnerable to selection bias and attrition. A clear flow diagram lets readers see where participants dropped out and whether the analyzed sample still represents the population enrolled. Large or uneven losses to follow-up can distort associations between exposure and outcome.

By standardizing what is reported, STROBE helps readers and meta-analysts judge the internal validity of studies that cannot rely on randomization to balance confounders.

Embed this diagram

Add this animated strobe flow diagram to your own site. Copy one line of HTML, or use the embed builder for theme and sizing options.

Reference

What this is
A free, embeddable, animated strobe flow diagram for any website.
Who uses it
Researchers & academics, Science journalists, Medical educators, Health journalists.
How to embed
Copy one line of HTML. No signup. No watermark. Works in WordPress, Webflow, Ghost, Substack, plain HTML.
File size
iframe embed, ~80 KB gzipped (loads on demand, does not block your page paint).
License
Free forever. Editorial explainer text included; updated centrally over time.
URL
scrollchart.com/diagram/strobe-flow

Embed format options

Copy the universal HTML snippet, the WordPress shortcode, or an iframe fallback - see the WordPress plugin page for details. Any format keeps the same Core Web Vitals profile and the same explainer text.

Embed snippet 
<div data-scrollchart="strobe-flow" data-scrollchart-v="1"></div>
<script src="https://scrollchart.com/embed.js" async></script>

By embedding, you acknowledge the diagram and explainer text are served from scrollchart.com and may be updated from time to time to reflect new research or to link to relevant sources within the explainer.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get a free animated "STROBE Flow Diagram" for my website?
Scrollchart provides "STROBE Flow Diagram" as a free, embeddable animated diagram you can add to any website with one line of HTML. No signup is required and there is no watermark. The diagram and its explainer text are served from scrollchart.com, so the embed stays current without any maintenance on your end.
How do I embed a strobe flow diagram in a blog post or article?
Paste the one-line HTML snippet from the Scrollchart diagram page into your post editor. It works in WordPress, Webflow, Ghost, and plain HTML with no plugin required. The animated diagram and its explainer text load from scrollchart.com and render directly in your page DOM.
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