Block 5 Flashcards
Clinical approach focuses on _____ and Epidemiological approach focuses on _____
Individuals; Population
Success of clinical approach depends on… (2)
- Etiology being known
- Correct diagnosis or correct list of diagnoses
Success of epidemiological approach….
Can be achieved without knowing the etiological agent or mechanism of action between exposure and disease
Clinical approach
Establish a diagnosis or small list of possible diagnoses: physical exam and history, generate list of ddxs, further examination and diagnostic testing. Treat against the diagnosis or list of diagnoses.
Epidemiological approach (4)
1) Describe the occurance of disease in populations.
2) Look for differences in disease occurance between groups in populations (groups with vs without certain exposures).
3) Identify those exposures that cause disease.
4) Apply measures to reduce those exposures.
Population
A defined collection of individuals who share one or more observable characteristics, as specified in the definition.
Descriptive Epidemiology
Describe the health status of specified populations
Study design of descriptive epidemiology
Surveys – goals is to estimate, with some defined precision, the frequency and distribution of selected outcomes in a defined population, based on measurements in a sample of that population
Analytical Epidemiology (3)
1) Epidemiologic research to identify potential causal associations between exposures and health-related outcomes.
2) The aim is to make causal inferences about relationships between exposure and disease.
3) Scientific process to seek understanding of a phenomenon.
Census vs Sample
Census = every individual in the population is evaluated
Sample = only a subset of individuals drawn from the population are evaluated (more feasible than a census)
Sampling
The process of selecting study subjects
What source of error does sampling introduce into epi studies
Sampling variability/random error
The opposite of random error is _____
Precision (an estimate with little random error may be described as precise)
Precision can be improved by ______
Increasing the sample size
Statistical inference
The process of drawing conclusions about a population based on data from a sample of that population. It allows us to deal with random error.
What is the only source of error in epidemiological studies?
Random error
Bias occurs due to _____
systematic error
Extent of bias (can/cannot) be determined
Cannot; there is no formal method to deal with systematic error (as there is with random error).
Probability sampling methods (4)
1) Simple random sampling
2) Systematic random sampling
3) Stratified random sampling
4) Cluster sampling
Simple random sampling
Each subject in the population has an equal chance of being selected. Requires a sampling frame of all subjects in the population (disadvantage).
Systematic random sampling
Doesn’t require sampling frame, only an estimate of the total population size and a means of sampling subjects at a predefined interval.
Stratified random sampling
Prior to sampling, divide populations into mutually exclusive strata (=groups) based on factors likely to affect disease occurrence (eg sex, breed..). Within each stratum, select a sample (simple or systematic random sample).