Etiologic epidemiology is concerned with risk factors.  It asks, e.g., "What are risk factors for becoming exposed to M. tuberculosis?".

Descriptive epidemiology is concerned with the size of the problem.  It asks, e.g., "How many cases of tuberculosis emerge each year in a given population?".  It has also been termed "administrative epidemiology", because the size of the problem is of concern to program managers, not least because of budget implications.  It identifies risk groups, that is population segments at particularly high risk compared to the general population.

Predictive epidemiology asks for the likely future course.  It asks, e.g., "How many tuberculosis deaths will likely occur in the next three years?".  Predictive epidemiology uses modeling techniques, attempting to make predictions about the future course from past experiences.

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