#*The events can be characterized by [[incidence (epidemiology)|Incidence]] rates and [[prevalence]] rates.
#*Often, occurrence of a single disease entity is set as an event.
#*Given inherent [[Homogeneity and heterogeneity|heterogeneous]] nature of any given disease (i.e., the unique disease principle<ref name="pmid23307060">{{cite journal | vauthors = Ogino S, Lochhead P, Chan AT, Nishihara R, Cho E, Wolpin BM, Meyerhardt JA, Meissner A, Schernhammer ES, Fuchs CS, Giovannucci E | title = Molecular pathological epidemiology of epigenetics: emerging integrative science to analyze environment, host, and disease | journal = Modern Pathology : an Official Journal of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, Inc | volume = 26 | issue = 4 | pages = 465–84 | date = April 2013 | pmid = 23307060 | pmc = 3637979 | doi = 10.1038/modpathol.2012.214 }}</ref>), a single disease entity may be treated as disease subtypes.<ref name="pmid20949563">{{cite journal | vauthors = Begg CB | title = A strategy for distinguishing optimal cancer subtypes | journal = International Journal of Cancer | volume = 129 | issue = 4 | pages = 931–7 | date = August 2011 | pmid = 20949563 | pmc = 3043163 | doi = 10.1002/ijc.25714 }}</ref> This framework is well conceptualized in the interdisciplinary field of [[molecular pathological epidemiology]] (MPE).<ref name="pmid20208016">{{cite journal | vauthors = Ogino S, Stampfer M | title = Lifestyle factors and microsatellite instability in colorectal cancer: the evolving field of molecular pathological epidemiology | journal = Journal of the National Cancer Institute | volume = 102 | issue = 6 | pages = 365–7 | date = March 2010 | pmid = 20208016 | pmc = 2841039 | doi = 10.1093/jnci/djq031 }}</ref><ref name="pmid21036793">{{cite journal | vauthors = Ogino S, Chan AT, Fuchs CS, Giovannucci E | title = Molecular pathological epidemiology of colorectal neoplasia: an emerging transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary field | journal = Gut | volume = 60 | issue = 3 | pages = 397–411 | date = March 2011 | pmid = 21036793 | pmc = 3040598 | doi = 10.1136/gut.2010.217182 }}</ref>
#Characterize the events as to epidemiological factors
