Survey

Making a single observation to measure and record something is a survey. Surveys are usually rapid, cross-sectional and mostly descriptive, one-shot (Usually not continuous) study. Survey is usually reactive (happen when the problems occur). Survey doesn’t usually cover the whole population, usually sampling is done. Survey incurs onetime cost. Survey might not be necessarily linked to public health system, recording and reporting to district health authority might not be mandatory. Mostly survey is done to solve a problem at particular point of time. Survey can serve as the basis for further studies. Survey can be done on any topic or area of interest, usually acute health problems. Community diagnosis programs (academic) are good examples of survey. There are no definite approaches of survey, they are conducted as per need, mostly involve field investigations.