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Cross-Sectional Study Overview

A cross-sectional study examines a population or populations at a single point in time to measure outcomes and exposures simultaneously. It is useful for estimating disease prevalence and generating hypotheses about risk factors. An example uses a cross-sectional design to examine the relationship between hepatitis C infection and blood transfusion in an Egyptian village by measuring prevalence rates of HCV and blood transfusions among the total population and forming internal comparison groups.

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Abo Amgad
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95 views17 pages

Cross-Sectional Study Overview

A cross-sectional study examines a population or populations at a single point in time to measure outcomes and exposures simultaneously. It is useful for estimating disease prevalence and generating hypotheses about risk factors. An example uses a cross-sectional design to examine the relationship between hepatitis C infection and blood transfusion in an Egyptian village by measuring prevalence rates of HCV and blood transfusions among the total population and forming internal comparison groups.

Uploaded by

Abo Amgad
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Cross-Sectional Studies

Descriptive and
Analytical Studies
Descriptive Studies
2 important functions:

1. Estimate prevalence of disease


in populations.

2. Generate hypothesis in etiology


of disease.
Descriptive Studies (conti.)
 Descriptive studies are performed when
relatively little is known about the risk
factors or natural history of a particular
disease or condition.

 For example, sudden infant death


syndrome (SIDS) a major cause of
postneonatal mortality has a very poorly
understood etiology.
(Cont.)

 Descriptive studies that are


designed to determine if SIDS
occurs more frequently among
certain ethnic groups, within
certain geographic areas, or at
certain time of the year:
could be instructive and useful.
Types of Descriptive
Studies
1. Case Reports
(usually by clinicians)
2. Case Series
3. Ecological Studies
4. Cross-Sectional studies or
surveys
Cross-Sectional Studies
 One of the observational studies.
 Based on a single examination of a
section of population at one point of time.
 Also known as a Prevalence Study
 Useful for chronic conditions.
 It measures Exposure and Outcome
at the same time.
Advantages (Cross-sectional)

Simple

Short time

Prevalence rate can be


measured.
Disadvantages
 Not appropriate to study rare
diseases or events of short
duration.
 Can not measure the temporal
relationship between exposure and
health outcome.
(problem of Chick-egg dilema).
Prevalence and Incidence
Measures of Morbidity
Prevalence Rate:
 It is the number of diseased individuals
(old and new) in a given time/total no.
of population examined.
 Probability of having a disease.
 Obtained from cross-sectional studies.
Incidence Rate:

 Number of new cases of disease in


certain time/ population at risk.
 Probability of getting a disease, risk
of developing a disease.
 It is a measure of risk,
 Obtained from cohort study.
Epidemiological Sequence
 Observation
 Counting cases or events
 Relating cases or events to populat.
 Making comparisons
 Developing hypothesis & testing it
 Conducting experimental studies
 Intervention and Evaluation
Example of A Cross-Sectional
Design

Blood Transfusion And Hepatitis C


infection in an Egyptian village
1.Cross-Sectional Design
Hepatitis C infect. & Blood Transfusion

Population
Village (Sample)

HCV, Bl.T.
(D) (E) No HCV,
no Bl.T
(D) (E)
No HCV, Bl.T.
(D) (E) HCV, no Bl.T.
(D) (E)

4 different outcomes
D, E Population
30
Village Not D, not E
(n= 200) 120

D, not E Not D, E
10 40

Descriptive Data: Prevalence Rate


Prevalence of HCV in village: 40/ 200 = 20%
Prevalence among males, among females….
Prevalence among different age groups…….
Prevalence of blood transfusion: 70/200 = 35%
Cross-Sectional study (cont.)
Analytical data:

 Prevalence of HCV among those receiving


blood transfusion 30/70 = 42.8%

 Prevalence of HCV among those not


receiving blood transf.: 10/130 = 7.6%
Cross-Sectional Design

 Typically descriptive studies do not select


persons into formal comparison groups,
however, investigators often form internal
comparison groups after doing the initial
descriptive statistics.

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