Describing the epidemiology of rheumatic diseases:  methodological aspects.
OBJECTIVE
Producing descriptive epidemiology data is essential to understand the burden of rheumatic diseases (prevalence) and their dynamic in the population (incidence).
No matter how simple such indicators may look, the correct collection of data and the appropriate interpretation of the results face several challenges: distinguishing indicators, facing the costs of obtaining data, using appropriate definition, identifying optimal sources of data, choosing among many survey methods, dealing with estimates precision, and standardizing results.


CONCLUSIONS
This study describes the underlying methodological difficulties to be overcome so as to make descriptive indicators reliable and interpretable.
EA4360 APEMAC Lorraine University, Paris Descartes, Nancy, France. francis.guillemin@medecine.uhp-nancy.fr
Francis
F
Guillemin
D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*