A nutritionist is investigating an outbreak of salmonellosis cases in a city over the past month. She collects data on when & where each case but does not attempt to identify a cause yet. Which type of epidemiological study is she conducting?

• A. Descriptive epidemiology.
• B. Analytical epidemiology.
• C. Experimental epidemiology.
• D. A combination of options a, b, & c.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the types of epidemiological studies. Descriptive epidemiology involves collecting data on the distribution of disease cases by time, place, and person without trying to identify causes or risk factors.
2. Step 2: Recognize that analytical epidemiology goes beyond description to investigate the causes or determinants of disease by comparing groups to find associations.
3. Step 3: Note that experimental epidemiology involves intervention studies where researchers actively manipulate exposure to study effects, such as clinical trials.
4. Step 4: Analyze the problem statement: the nutritionist is collecting data on when and where cases occurred but is not yet trying to identify causes, which aligns with descriptive epidemiology.
5. Step 5: Conclude that since the study focuses on describing the outbreak in terms of time and place without testing hypotheses or interventions, the correct classification is descriptive epidemiology.