How to Plan, Design, and Conduct Epidemiological Studies

Abstract

This presentation will describe how to do population-based studies from the first planning to the final writing of the scientific paper in a neuroepidemiological study. To perform population based studies requires a lot of planning. Before the study can start, the researcher needs to decide the research question, and hypothesis being tested. The next phase is to decide on the population to be studied, how to select participants, and the methods to be used in the examinations. When this is decided, the researcher has to calculate a budget and apply for grants. An ethical application also has to be written. If these details work out, staff has to be hired, and trained. Inter-rater reliability studies have to be done. Then come the art of contacting and invite participants. During the study period, quality controls need to be done. There are also a number of things which can go wrong during the study period. After the study come data entry, data cleaning and quality controls of data. In a neuroepidemiological study, diagnoses of diseases may be done based on collected data. Finally, it is time to analyse the data, and write the scientific pap