Epidemiology

What is Epidemiology and how does it contribute to the health of our society?

A public health science (foundation of public health)

Impacts personal decisions about our lifestyles

Affects government, public health agency and medical organization policy decisions

Where does the term epidemiology come from?

Epidemiology derives from epidemic, a term that provides an immediate clue to its subject matter.

Originates from the Greek words epi (upon) + demos (people) + logy (study of)

Epidemiology

Friis & Sellers 2009, defines epidemiology as concerned with the distribution and determinants of health and diseases, morbidity, injuries, disability, and mortality in populations.

Application of this study to control and prevent health problems in populations.

Historical role of Epidemiology In the past, main causes of death were

due to a single pathogen (disease causing microorganism or related substance)

Epidemiologists had the challenge of isolating a single bacteria, virus, or parasite

Historical role of Epidemiology The discipline of epidemiology underwent

dramatic changes in the first half of the 20th century.

A new kind of epidemiology came into being as a discipline in the decades following the Second World War variously referred to as “modern” or “risk factor” epidemiology (Parascandola, 2011).

Historical role of Epidemiology The new epidemiology differed from

earlier forms of epidemiology in that it included a focus on chronic rather than infectious diseases an emphasis on identifying individual risk factors for disease, and use of advanced quantitative methodology

(Parascadola, 2011).

Activity

If you have an index card, raise your hand

You have a “fake” disease

What pattern do you notice? Compare those that have the “fake” disease to those that don’t.

Activity continued

The first step when dealing with a disease (epidemiology) is identifying what causes the disease

The next step would be to create a hypothesis: Why is jewelry an indicator of this “fake” disease?

What is the next step in investigating a disease?

What does epidemiology involve?

• Study of the health and disease of the “body politic” – the population.

• Basic science of public health• What causes disease?• How does disease spread?• What prevents disease?• What works in controlling disease?

Major types of Epidemiology

Descriptive Analytic

The importance of Descriptive Epidemiology

Descriptive epidemiology involves characterization of the distribution of health-related states or events by: Person – who? Place – where? Time – when? Clinical criteria – what?