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.