Approaches to disease cluster investigations in a state health department

摘要: Classical tests for clustering rarely have a major role in the investigation of disease clusters at neighbourhood level performed by health department. When examining single cluster, boundaries are often ill-defined, and dimension (geographic, occupational, iatrogenic) is obvious. Furthermore, using cluster to routinely scan registries looking undesirable several reasons. A better approach be vigilant unusual environmental exposures, evaluate impact they may have. In this context, techniques serve as part larger that includes other epidemiologic approaches.