Analytic Strategies in Hospital Epidemiology: Cross-Sectional Studies

The cross-sectional study, also called the prevalence survey, is one of the most popular epidemiologic methods. It has been employed in up to one-third of published studies. This survey method has two primary applications: describing population characteristics and analyzing potential etiologic agents or risk tactors for diseases or other population attributes. Studies of the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis and the association between smoking and chronic bronchitis are two examples of the cross-sectional method applied at the population-based level.