Prevalence survey

descriptive study

Descriptive study includes activities

relates to characterizing the distribution of
disease within a population. descriptive
patterns of disease occurrence often lead to
hypotheses about disease causation that are
tested in analytic investigations.
 Prevalence studies are conducted in
order to examine the prevalence of a
particular condition at a certain point in
time.
Also referred to as cross-sectional
studies, they frequently take the form of
surveys.
 prevalence survey
 cross-sectional study,is also named cross-
sectional
 an frequently used- investigation methods
of epidemiology
 is basis and starting point of research of
epidemiology
 is standpoint of public health policy
 An important epidemic investigating
method
 Prevalence survey
 section Ⅰ
introduce of prevalence survey
 section Ⅱ
methods and kinds of prevalence survey
 section Ⅲ
carrying procedure of prevalence survey
 section Ⅳ
bias and that of control of prevalence survey
 section Ⅰ introduce of prevalence survey
1. concept
 prevalence survey,an analytic investigation
in which subjects are sampled at a fixed
point or period of time,and the associations
between the concurrent presence or
absence of risk factors and disease are
then investigated.
 2. feature of prevalence survey
 Detailed,rapid and cheap
 According to cross-sectional study
 Only put forword to hypothesis of
pathogenesis
 Often be used to research chronic disease
 Be more applicable to the research of
disease whose exposure factor dose not
change easily
 3. research aim of prevalence survey
 To describe distribution of disease
 To discovery clue of pathogenesis
 Be used in secondary prevention
 To evaluate prevention and cure effect
 surveillance of disease
 health demand,health project and health
policy decision
 section Ⅱ methods and kinds of
prevalence survey

1.Methods of prevalence survey

 visit face to face
 visit by message
 visit by telephone
 questionnaire
 physical examination and lab examination
 investigation with IE
 Methods of prevalence survey

 Investigation methods of sensitive problem

 sensitive problem
 Two kinds
 attributive sensitive problem

 quantity sensitive problem

 2. Kinds of prevalence survey
 census
 sampling survey
 census
 Investigation in special time and special
extend
 object
 To discovery and cure patients in early
stage
 To understand distribution of disease and
health condition
 census
 principal
 need to have organize and high level census
team
 need to have time request
 data need to put together
 According to specific cycle
 census
 Merit
 investigated object is easy
 data is detailed and has high accuracy
 To help research epidemic factors of
diseases
 census
 weakness
 amount of work is big,cost is high and
organized work is different
 investigated content is limited
 repetition and leakage
 Investigated accuracy controlled difficultly
 sampling survey

To research the subset which of a target

population that is chosen for investigation
 Prevalence survey often adopts method of
sampling survey
 sampling survey
 principal

 Sampling survey must abide by

randomization
 Sample size must be big enough to
represent totality
 sampling survey
 Merit
 abide by randomization
 save labor power, material resources and
time
 Error may be evaluated and controlled in
advance
 Accuracy is high
 sampling survey
 weakness
 A non-total investigation method
 sampling error and bias
 Can not be used in disease of low-
prevalence rate
 sampling survey
 sampling methods ：
 simple random sampling
 systematic sampling
 stratified sampling
 cluster sampling
 multi-stage sampling
 sampling survey
 sample size
 αvalue
 prevalence rate or standard divergence ；
 Admitting error
 sample size ：
 ①quantitative data ：

d - error
S - sd

 ②enumeration data ：

P-prevalence -
prevalence ，
Q=1-P
 Section Ⅲ steps of prevalence survey
 1. Determine research object
 To describe distribution, explore pathogenesis and
build normal value
 To reflect practice,creativity,science and advance

 2. To grasp data of background

 Experience of own,consulting with expert and
looking up reference data
 3. Determine research object and methods
 objects ：
persons at risk, occupational population,
representative population, population
carried out prevention or cure
measurement.
 census, screening, sampling survey.
 Research methods
 sample size ：
 4.Determine research types and methods

 According to object
 considering speciality of data
 thinking over feature of object
 5.collection of data
 1.Determine research variable ：
including data of demographic, disease
measurements and relative factors
 2.questionnaire
 To grasp data of background
 disease measure
 exposure measure
 demand of investigator
 6.Data analysis and explanation of result
 data examination ：
 program examination
 data examination
 logic examination
 data analysis
(1)analysis measurement ：
 numerical variable ： arithmetic
mean 、 standard deviation 、 95%confidence
interval 。
 categorical variable ： rate 、 proportion 。

(2)analysis methods ：
 descriptive distribution
 relative analysis

 one factor comparison analysis

 multiple factors analysis

(3) Explanation of result
To state representative sample,sample
reliability and estimate the sourse 、
size 、 direction and method of
adjustment
 Section Ⅳ common bias and control
 Selection bias
 non-respondent bias
 selection bias
 survival bias
 Information bias
 report bias ；
 investigator bias ；
 Measurement bias ：
instrument 、 appliance
 Section Ⅳ common bias and control
 control of bias
 randomization
 increase respond rate
 control measurement bias
 avoid investigator bias
 Some advantages and disadvantages of
prevalence studies
 Advantages  Disadvantages
 Comparatively cheap  Not useful for
and quick conditions which have
 Fairly simple to carry a short duration
out and analysis  Not a first choice for
 Useful for healthcare investigating
planning and causality
investigating trends  Sampling and data
over time collection need great
 Useful when routine care
data are not available