USES OF ECOLOGIC ANALYSIS IN EPIDEMIOLOGIC RESEARCH
USES OF ECOLOGIC ANALYSIS IN EPIDEMIOLOGIC RESEARCH
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DOI：
10.2105/ajph.72.12.1336
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发表时间：
1982-01-01
影响因子：
12.7
通讯作者：
MORGENSTERN, H
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
MORGENSTERN, H
尽管在流行病学研究和卫生规划中广泛使用生态分析，但卫生科学家和从业人员很少注意到这种方法的方法方面。本文综述了生态学研究设计的主要类型、适用于每种类型的分析方法、生态学数据在进行因果推论时的局限性以及如何减少这些问题，以及生态学分析的相对优势。文中列举了许多例子来说明这些重要的原理和方法。在产生或检验病原学假设的生态学研究与评估干预计划或政策影响的生态学研究（给予足够的疾病病原学知识）之间进行了仔细的区分。在进行生态学研究时，如果不能认识到这种差异，可能会导致信息不丰富或被他人误解的结果。
Despite the widespread use of ecologic analysis in epidemiologic research and health planning, little attention has been given by health scientists and practitioners to the methodological aspects of this approach. This paper reviews the major types of ecologic study designs, the analytic methods appropriate for each, the limitations of ecologic data for making causal inferences and what can be done to minimize these problems, and the relative advantages of ecologic analysis. Numerous examples are provided to illustrate the important principles and methods. A careful distinction is made between ecologic studies that generate or test etiologic hypotheses and those that evlauate the impact of intervention programs or policies (given adequate knowledge of disease etiology). Failure to recognize this difference in the conduct of ecologic studies can lead to results that are not very informative or that are misinterpreted by others.