Epidemiology Flashcards
• Lind w first experient and had to do with nutrition
was a Scottish doctor, a pioneer of naval
hygiene and expert on the treatment of scurvy.
• Selected 12 men from the ship, all suffering from
scurvy,
– divided them into six pairs,
– giving each group different additions to their
basic diet.
• Cider, Seawater, A mixture of garlic,
mustard & horseradish, Spoonfuls
of vinegar, Oranges, Lemons
• Those fed citrus fruits experienced a
remarkable recovery.
critical trial
Goldberger
second landmark study- also nutrition
Physician & epidemiologist discovered the cause for pellagra,
known as infectious disease, resulting from a diet deficient in
vitamin B3 (niacin), that killed many poor Southerners in the
early part of the 20th century.
• Observation (poor neighborhood, institutions, dietary status)
• Requested fresh foods containing fruits, vegetables &meat
from Washington were provided to children in two
Mississippi orphanages & to inmates. Results were dramatic;
• Those fed a diet of fresh meat, milk & vegetables
instead of a corn-based diet recovered from
pellagra. Those without the disease who ate the new diet did
not contract pellagra.
Joseph Goldberger (1874 - 1929)
Observation, Hypothesis, Test, Conclusion
requested 20 ppl on death row
was unique as it had a control study
• What is epidemiology?
Originates from the Greek words, epi (upon) +
demos (people) + logy (study of)
study of ppl
“The study of the distribution & determinants of health related states & events in populations, • & the application of this study to control health problems” John M. Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology
Distribution?
how are different regions affected and others are not
Affected population • Place • Time • Age • Sex (can also be gender) • Race • Occupation • Income • Education • Exposure to agents
Determinants?
host factors
enviro factors
• Host factors: – Age – Sex – Ethnicity – Genetic make up – Diet – Physical activity – Physiologic state (example age - uni students have bad diet- lowers immune system) • Environmental factors – Living conditions – Occupation – Location – Lifestyle
What is epidemiology, really?
• Study of the health and disease of the population. • Basic science of public health •What causes disease? •How does disease spread ? •What prevents disease? what works .in controlling disease?
what is epidimiology used for
- Provide the scientific basis to prevent disease &
injury & promote health. - Determine relative importance to establish
priorities for research & action. - Identify sections of the population at greatest
risk to target interventions. - the effectiveness of programs in improving
the health of the population - Study natural history of disease from precursor
states through clinical course - Conduct surveillance of disease and injury
occurrence in populations
• 22 health surveillance centers in Canada - Investigate disease outbreaks
Basic epidemiologic concepts
• Rate:
a magnitude or frequency of event in population relative to
total population at a given time unit;
Vital stats
• Neonatal Mortality Rate= number of deaths to infants <28 days during yr x 1000
Number of live births in same year
• Infant mortality rate= number of deaths to infants <1 yr during yr x 1000
Number of live births in same year
• Maternal mortality rate= number of Pregnancy–related deaths during yr x 100,000
Number of live births in same year
• Cause specific death rate= number of deaths due to a particular cause during yr x 1000
Average mid-year population
• Crude birth rate = number of live births during yr x 1000
Average mid-year population
• Crude death rate= number of death during yr x 1000
Average mid-year population
number of deaths Pregnancy–related death= 1
• Number of live births= 1000
• Maternal mortality rate= ?
100/100,000
Neonatal Mortality Rate= number of deaths to infants <28 days during yr x 1000 Number of live births in same year Number of deaths =20 Number of live births= 400 Rate: ?
50/1000
number of deaths due to cardiovascular diseases=800
• Average mid-year population=200000
• Cardiovascular mortality rate=?
Cause specific death rate= number of deaths due to a particular cause during yr x 1000
Average mid-year population
4/1000
• Incidence:
how to calculate
The number of new cases!!!! of a disease during a
specific time period in a defined population
• Identifying the susceptible people free of the disease
• Periodical examination over time and count the new cases
• How to calculate:
– The number of new cases of a disease or condition in a
specified time period (usually a year) divided by the size
of the population under consideration who are initially
disease free.
– If the incidence rate is very small, it is presented as
number of cases per 100,000 (multiply the ratio by
100,000)
How to calculate incidence?
• Example:
– new cases of neural tubal defect in year 1990 in
Nova Scotia: 4
– Total population (number of live births in 1990):
2000
– What is the incidence ?
4/2000 x 100,000 = 200
10 out of 200 have the desease
10 new cases this year
200-10=190
10/190 x 100000= 5263
Prevalence:
the number of existing cases of a disease or
other condition in a given population.
– how commonly a disease or condition occurs in a population.
• How to calculate
– The number of individuals with the disease or condition at
a particular time point divided by the number of
individuals examined
– Usually expressed as a percentage (multiply the ratio by
100)
– In rare cases, usually expressed in 100,000 (multiply the
ratio by 100,000)
• Example:
– In a national nutrition survey in Canada in 2004,
900 of adults were severely food insecure.
– Total population of adults under the study: 12,000
– What is the prevalence of food insecurity in this
sample of Canadian adults?
(900/12000) x 100=7.5
200 ppl, 10 old cases, 10 new cases
20/200 x 100 = 10%
Basic epidemiologic concepts
risk?
risk factor
relative risk
? The probability of an event occurring
• Risk factors: Clinically important signs associated
with an increased likelihood of acquiring a disease
– Inherited
– Environment
• Physical
• Social
• Relative Risk= Risk of disease or death in exposed group
Risk of disease, death in unexposed group
• 1
• > 1.0
• <1.0 29
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