Streets of Paris, sunflower seeds, and Nobel prizes. Reflections on the quantitative paradigm of public health
- Correspondence to: Professor J P Mackenbach Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, Netherlands; j.mackenbacherasmusmc.nl
- Accepted 3 December 2003
Abstract
Quantitative methods are central to public health and public health research. The historical roots and philosophical foundations of this predilection for the quantitative, however, are little known and seldom discussed.
Footnotes
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Funding: none.
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Conflicts of interest: none declared.
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This paper is based on a New Year’s dinner’s speech, held for the Department of Public Health at Erasmus Medical Center in January 2003.
