Epidemiology; Cross Sectional Studies

Question 1

What are some of the benefits of cross sectional studies

Answer 1

Good for measuring the burden of disease, planning preventative and curative services, generate hypothesis of causes

Question 2

What are some of the weaknesses of cross sectional studies

Answer 2

Measures prevalence rather than incidence, difficult to establish temporality

Question 3

What is an ecological study?

Answer 3

Observational study with population or group and these are the unit of observation. THEN COMPARE the group averages e.g countries, smaller locations

Question 4

What are the benefits of an ecological study

Answer 4

Describe associations at a group level
Quick and cheap as uses routine data
Generates hypothesis
Some risk factors are not easily measurable at an individual level. E.g pollutants

Question 5

What are some of the weaknesses of ecological studies?

Answer 5

Shows only association not causality
Ecological fallacy (where something is true only for a group not individual)

Question 6

Define a cross sectional study

Answer 6

An observational study that estimates the frequency of an outcome in a set population at a particular point in time

Question 7

What is a descriptive cross sectional study?

Answer 7

Where the disease or condition and potential risk factors are measured at a specific point in time for a defined population

Question 8

What is an analytical cross sectional study

Answer 8

Quantitative research looking at both the outcome and potential risk factors in a defined population. THEN comparing the prevalence of outcome in those with the risk factors vs non exposed.

Question 9

Define an ecological fallacy

Answer 9

An attempt to infer from the ecological level to the individual level