1: Introduction to Epidemiology

Question 1

Define Epidemiology

Answer 1

the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations and the application of this study to the control of health problems

Question 2

Define Epidemiologist

Answer 2

a person who studies or is an expert in the branch of medicine which deals with the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases.

Question 3

What do epidemiologist ask?

Answer 3

Who is affected?
Why is this group affected?
Where are the people located?
When did the disease occur?
What happened?
How did it happen?

Question 4

Do diseases occur randomly

Answer 4

Transmission of disease between individuals involves chance event, HOWEVER, the resultant effect at population level produces distinct patterns

Question 5

What do epidemiologist do once a pattern has been identified in a population

Answer 5

Identify the cause of disease
Predict the course of disease
Design control or preventive measures

Question 6

3 Categories of Reporting Diseases

Answer 6

Host Characteristics
Geographical or spatial location
Time

Question 7

Host Characteristic Examples

Answer 7

Age, sex, breed, species

Question 8

Geographical or spatial location examples

Answer 8

Mapping, related to temperature, water,
altitude, roads, markets

Question 9

Time examples

Answer 9

When does it occur?
Seasonal
Holidays

Question 10

What is a unit of study

Answer 10

BIOLOGICAL UNIT of primary concern in
an investigation

Question 11

Biological unit examples

Answer 11

Animal
Paddock
Farm
Village
District

Question 12

Animal relevant characteristics

Answer 12

Species, gender, breed, age, weight

Question 13

Paddock relevant characteristics

Answer 13

Size, stocking density, pasture type, production

Question 14

Farm relevant characteristics

Answer 14

Location, size, source of stock, production method,
other enterprises

Question 15

Village relevant characteristics

Answer 15

Location, number of farms, type of animals, farming
practices, geographic and climatic factors

Question 16

Define population at risk

Answer 16

Population susceptible to disease and who have some likelihood of exposure

Question 17

How many Pandas were
tested?

Answer 17

There are 5 captive pandas and
3 wild pandas in the study
population

Question 18

How many Pandas tested positive to canine distemper virus (CDV)?

Answer 18

1 captive panda and 1 wild panda tested positive to canine distemper virus (serum neutralisation test)

Question 19

What proportion of pandas were positive in the CDV test?

Answer 19

Proportion of test positive pandas =
2 ÷ 8 = 0.25

Question 20

Define morbidity

Answer 20

condition of suffering from a disease or medical condition

Question 21

Define mortality

Answer 21

state of being subject to death

Question 22

Factors that influence the morbidity and mortality in populations

Answer 22

Infectious disease
Non infectious diseases
External causes/forces

Question 23

Infectious disease example

Answer 23

Pathogens

Question 24

Non infectious disease example

Answer 24

Nutrition

Question 25

External causes/forces example

Answer 25

lightning strikes, snake bites, poisonings

Question 26

Other agents other than infectious diseases

Answer 26

Copper
Wind
Dementia
Asbestos