Dental Public Health - Epidemiology and oral health Flashcards
What is epidemiology?
The study of occurence and distribution of health-related states or events in specific populations
Includes: study of determinants influencing health related states and the application of this knowledge to control health problems
What does Epi mean?
On or upon
What does demos mean?
People
What does logos mean?
The study of
What was the first epidemiological approach to public health? And when?
1854 John snow
Cholera & water pumps
What can epidemiological data be used for?
Prevent future outbreaks
Shorten length of future outbreaks
What is the aim of epidemiology?
To decipher disease mechanisms at population level
What are the 3 key assumptions made with epidemiology?
- Diseases do not occur randomly
- Diseases are an outcome of a series of interacting chain of events
- If the chain of events can be identifyied we can prevent disease or improve disease outcomes
What are the 5 key steps of epidemiology?
- Find aetiology of disease
- Establish disease occurance
- Study progress of disease
- Assess theraputic interventions and policies (what we do about it i.e. health policies)
- Evaluation (did interventions work/reduce incidence of disease in the population)
What is oral epidemiology?
The study of distribution and determinants of oral health related states or events in specified populations and the application of this stufy to control oral health problems
(a branch of epidemiology tied to a specific part of the body)
What does oral epidemiology allow us to do (6)?
- Calculate the scale of oral disease
- Ascertain if levels of oral disease are increasing/decreasing/stable
- Identify groups that appear susceptible to oral disease (so can intervene!)
- Comment on possible causes of oral disease
- Calculate the impact of oral disease on society
- Highlight possible preventive measures for the population
Name some different sources of oral epidemiological data:
WHO global health data bank (oral health unit)
National oral health surveillance system (US)
UK: Epidemiological surveys:
- Public health england (PHE) dental public health intelligence progreamme
- NHS epidemiology survey fo children
- Decennial national oral health survey for adults and children
- British association for the study of community dentistry (BASCD)
Why is it important to know epidemiological sources?
The type of people and patients you see influences your practice
What does oral epidemiology allow us to do?
Monitor and understand the prevelance and rates of occurance of dental disease
What has oral epidemiology shown us about periodontal disease and dental caries rates?
They are on the decrease
BUT still prevalent among poorer sections of society
