Determination of the population size in an epidemiological study with children.
OBJECTIVE
To obtain a reliable estimate of the population size in an epidemiological study concerned with incidence estimation.


METHODS
In the present case, the population of interest consists of all children attending a certain pediatric practice for any reason and is estimated making use of the number of regularly attended well baby visits. In some cases, exact figures from the practices are available as a reference. A prospective epidemiological study on the estimation of the incidence of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in the German pediatric population (PRI.DE, Parainfluenza- und Respiratory-Syncytial-Virus-Infektionen in Deutschland) is used to demonstrate the procedure.


RESULTS
In most cases, the fit can be regarded as good with deviations between 11% and 17%, whereas in a few cases it must be considered as poor (deviations of 60%).


CONCLUSIONS
The importance of using exact figures whenever obtainable and of appraising the results carefully is emphasized.
Ihorst
G
G
Institute of Medical Biometry and Medical Informatics, University Hospital of Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Str. 26, 79104 Freiburg, Germany. gabi@imbi.uni-freiburg.de
Forster
J
J
Petersen
G
G
Schumacher
M
M
D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011156:Population Density; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology