Temporal changes can be categorized into several types:
Seasonal Variations: These are periodic fluctuations that occur at regular intervals, such as increased flu cases during winter. Secular Trends: These are long-term patterns observed over extended periods, such as the decline in smoking rates over decades. Cyclic Variations: These involve recurrent patterns but are not necessarily seasonal, such as the periodic outbreaks of certain infectious diseases. Short-term Fluctuations: These are sudden changes in disease incidence, such as an outbreak of food poisoning.
