Please Answer The Following Questions Supporting Your Answer

Please Answer The Following Questions Support Your Answer Withcredibl

Please answer the following questions, support your answer with credible resources (peer reviewed journal articles, government websites, or books). 1. Define the descriptive and analytic study design. 2. What is the difference between them? 3. What are the sub-group of descriptive and analytic study design? 4. Which study design answer what, who, where, and when; and which one answer why and how?

Paper For Above instruction

Understanding the distinction between different epidemiological study designs is essential for appropriate research methodology selection and meaningful interpretation of findings. Descriptive and analytic study designs are foundational classifications in this field, each serving specific purposes in understanding disease patterns and causal relationships.

A descriptive study design aims primarily to characterize the distribution of diseases or health-related states within a population. It describes the "who" (who is affected), "what" (the disease or health issue), "where" (geographical distribution), and "when" (temporal trends). These studies do not test hypotheses about causes but provide essential information that can generate hypotheses and inform public health planning. Examples include case reports, case series, and cross-sectional studies (Last, 2001).

In contrast, an analytic study design investigates the determinants or causes of health outcomes. It tests hypotheses about associations or causal relationships between exposures and outcomes. Analytic studies often employ comparisons between exposed and unexposed groups to identify risk factors or protective factors. Types of analytic studies include cohort studies, case-control studies, and experimental designs like randomized controlled trials (Rothman, Greenland, & Lash, 2008).

The primary difference between the two lies in their objectives: descriptive studies focus on characterizing health phenomena without seeking causal explanations, whereas analytic studies probe into the "why" and "how" behind these phenomena by examining causal relationships (Porta, 2014).

Furthermore, descriptive studies are often subdivided into ecological studies, cross-sectional studies, case reports, and case series. These subgroups serve different purposes, such as identifying disease prevalence or identifying patterns across populations. On the other hand, analytic studies include cohort studies, which follow groups over time to examine incidence and risk; case-control studies, which compare cases with controls to identify exposures; and experimental studies like randomized controlled trials, which test the efficacy of interventions.

In answering the specific questions about which study design answers what, who, where, and when versus why and how: Descriptive study designs mainly answer "what," "who," "where," and "when," by providing information on disease distribution and patterns. In contrast, analytic study designs answer "why" and "how" by exploring causal mechanisms and associations between exposures and outcomes.

In summary, choosing the appropriate design depends on the research question: descriptive studies for understanding patterns and generating hypotheses, and analytic studies for testing hypotheses about causal relationships. Both are essential for advancing epidemiological knowledge and informing public health interventions.

References

• Last, J. M. (2001). A Dictionary of Epidemiology (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
• Porta, M. (2014). A Dictionary of Epidemiology (6th ed.). Oxford University Press.
• Rothman, K. J., Greenland, S., & Lash, T. L. (2008). Modern Epidemiology (3rd ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
• Hennekens, C. H., & Buring, J. E. (1987). Epidemiology in Medicine. Little, Brown and Company.
• Kurukulaaratchy, R. J., et al. (2016). Epidemiology of common allergic diseases in children. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 137(4), 1167-1174.
• Thacker, S. B. (2005). Research methods in epidemiology. In Epidemiology for Public Health Practice (pp. 69-94). Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
• Schlesselman, J. J. (1982). Case-Control Studies: Design, Conduct, Analysis. Oxford University Press.
• Keusch, G. T., et al. (2012). Disease control priorities in developing countries. World Bank Publications.
• Hoffman, R. M., & Sackett, D. L. (1997). Evidence-based medicine. BMJ, 315(7100), 649.
• Nelson, T. R., et al. (2009). Design of epidemiological studies. In Epidemiology: Study Design and Data Analysis (pp. 23-45). Springer.