Epidemiological studies are like cherries, one draws another.
The proverb "Words are like cherries", meaning that when you start talking subjects pop up and you end up with long conversations, just like cherries coming out of the plate in chains when you pick one, may also be applied to epidemiological research. A sequence of epidemiological studies, each being drawn from the previous, is presented as an example of how each investigation may raise new questions to be addressed in following studies. This description stresses the need for appropriate planning and the usefulness of pilot testing to depict inadequacies that can hardly be anticipated without field work. I intend to illustrate how epidemiological research can provide a deep approach to research questions, as long as findings are properly interpreted and suboptimal methodological options are taken into account in future investigations.
Lunet
Nuno
N
Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Porto University Medical School, Portugal, and Institute of Public Health of the University of Porto (ISPUP), Portugal. nlunet@med.up.pt
D015340:Epidemiologic Research Design; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires