Basic Epidermiology Flashcards
According to Last’s dictionary of epidemiology, epidemiology is?
“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”
What is Public Health?
It is the process of promoting health, preventing diseases, prolonging life and improving quality of health through the organised efforts of society.
It is the systematic practical application of epidemiology
What is the disrtibution of health-states and events?
It is a description of the frequency and pattern of health related events in a population
Frequency of health events
The number of occurrences of a health event in a population within a given time period.
It is measured by rates and risks of health events in a population.
Pattern of health events
This retfers to the occurrence of health related events by time, place and personal characteristics
In the definition of epidemiology, “distribution” refers to:
Who, when and where
In the definition of epidemiology, “determinants” generally includes:
Agents
Causes
Risk factors
Sources
Protective factors
Determinants of health states
These are definable factors that influence the occurrence of health related events
Health- related events refer to?
Health outcomes (eg. death, illness and disability) as well as positive health states (eg. survival and reduced risk of stroke), and the means to improve health.
What is the use od epidemiology?
*To identify factors that can affect the occurrence of disease
*To assess the effectiveness of preventive and therapeutic treatments
*To assess the impact of public health services
*To predict future health care needs
What is a Descriptive study?
A study in which the distribution of an exposure and/or an outcome are examined without any attempt by the investigator to influence them.
What ia an Interventional study?
A study designed to test a hypothesis by modifying an exposure within the study population
What is cross-sectional study?
It is a study in which the prevalence of an exposure and/or an outcome are measured in a given population at a specifed point in time.
The data may be analysed to look for an association between the exposure and the outcome.
What is a Case control study?
It is a study inwhich individuals with and without the outcome of interest are identified. Their status with respect to exposures of interest is then determined in order to look for associations between these exposures and the outcome of interest.
What is a Cohort study?
It is a study inwhich one or more groups of individuals are followed up over a period of time to determine the frequency of a particular outcome in the group(s).
