Epidemiological Thinking Flashcards
Define Epidemiology
The frequency of health and dis-ease within a population, its cause, and how to improve
- how much dis-ease + immediate causes
Define Population
A group who share one or more common features
Define Health (Dis-ease) > narrow
The absence of death, disease or disability
Define Health (Dis-ease) > broad
The capacity to do what matters most to you
Define Dis-ease
Not at ease
Frequency equation
Frequency of dis-ease = no. of cases of dis-ease (N) / no. of people in population (D)
Why measure frequency of dis-ease in populations?
The frequency between 2 different or same populations but different times = ability to identify causes and prevent
Epidemiology terms used interchangeably
- Dis-ease frequency
- Dis-ease occurrence
- Dis-ease risk
- Dis-ease distribution
Label hourglass
P (population) on top > eq. denominator
d (cases of dis-ease) bottom > eq. numerator
G____ and P____ are used interchangeably
Groups and Populations
Why is age standardisation of dis-ease frequency used before making comparisons between populations
Fairer comparison
Standardise age so each population to be meaningfully compared
E = (N/D) / T
Epidemiology = (Dis-ease / in groups or populations) / at point in time or over period of time
what do we always start with counting in epidemiological studies
denominator - always start by counting population
where do the number of cases come from
cases of dis-ease must come from the denominator
epidemiology starts by d_____ the p_____
epidemiology starts by (describing) the (population)
