Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) Outbreak in Surobi District of Kabul, Afghanistan, 2021: a descriptive Case Study

Descriptive epidemiology plays a crucial role in field or applied epidemiology by providing a foundation for understanding the distribution and determinants of diseases within populations. It involves the systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of data to describe the occurrence of diseases, identify patterns and trends, and characterize the affected populations. Descriptive epidemiology helps epidemiologists and public health professionals identify high-risk groups, geographic areas of concern, and temporal variations in disease occurrence. It also provides valuable insights into potential risk factors, demographic characteristics, and modes of transmission. By examining the who, what, when, and where of disease occurrence, descriptive epidemiology forms the basis for generating hypotheses, designing targeted interventions, and guiding public health policies and practices. Ultimately, descriptive epidemiology is a fundamental tool in understanding the burden of disease, monitoring health trends, and identifying opportunities for prevention and control efforts in the field of epidemiology. This teaching case study has been developed for intermediate FETP tier to enhance their practical skills in analyzing surveillance data with focus on descriptive approach. Contents of this teaching case study has been adapted from an Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) outbreak occurred in Surobi district of Kabul province in Afghanistan during 2021. To use this case study, residents must have received didactic training session of “Descriptive Epidemiology” and be familiar with concepts of surveillance data, outbreak detection and response as well as computer skills.