Why are Longitudinal Surveys Important in Epidemiology?
Longitudinal surveys provide a dynamic view of health trends and can uncover causal relationships between risk factors and health outcomes. This is crucial in understanding the natural history of diseases, identifying risk factors, and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions. By following the same individuals over time, researchers can differentiate between short-term and long-term effects, which is often not possible with cross-sectional studies.
