Question

Compare the key features of descriptive epidemiology with those of analytic epidemiology ?

Answer 1

Epidemiology refers to the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in a specified population.It is applied widely in the control of health problems around the world.These type of studies are mainly conducted on health problems in order to determine the causes of a disease and to evaluate the effectiveness of possible interventions on the disease. The Epidemiology can be divided into two broad classes; Descriptive Epidemiology and Analytic Epidemiology.
Descriptive Epidemiology refers to the studies that generate hypotheses and answer the questions who, what, when and where of the disease or infection. Analytic Epidemiology refers to the studies which are conducted to test for hypotheses and to generate conclusions on the particular disease. The main difference between Descriptive and Analytic Epidemiology is the approach taken to contend with the particular health issue.
The descriptive study mainly dealt with 5 aspects which include What, How, Where, When and Why. In the scientific language, these are referred to as the case definition, person, place, time, and causes/risk factors/modes of transmission of disease.Different study types are involved in Descriptive epidemiology. They include Case reports, case-control studies, incidence studies, cross-sectional studies and ecologic studies.

While Analytic Epidemiology is mainly concerned with finding the causes of the infection or the disease to identify the interventions of the disease. Analytic Epidemiological studies are mainly categorized as experimental and observational studies.

Similarities Between Descriptive and Analytic Epidemiology

• Both study types are based on a hypothesis developed for a particular disease condition.
• Both study types are involved in expanding the disease biology.
• Both study types involve expert knowledge of epidemiologist specialized in different fields.

In case of hypothesis, descriptive epidemiology is able to generate a hypothesis whereas Analytic epidemiology is able to conduct a test for the hypothesis.Interventional studies are not performed in descriptive epidemiology whilst, it is analyzed in analytic epidemiology.

Apparently, Descriptive and Analytic Epidemiology are the two main branches of epidemiology which define disease or an infection and its various aspects. Descriptive epidemiology analyses with the basic data pertaining to the disease, in addition, it studies the time, place and person involved in the disease. in spite of, Analytic epidemiology deals in finding causes for the particular condition by conducting experiments.Evaluating the product of intervention and to prove or disapprove the hypothesis are significant in studies.